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In Japan, recently there has been an increase in the failure of dry masonry retaining walls located in an urban residential area due to strong earthquakes. However, currently there are no established optimal seismic reinforcement methods for such dry masonry retaining walls due to issues related to workability and construction cost. This paper presents a novel reinforcement method wherein the tilting reinforcement bars were installed from top of the retaining wall whose individual blocks were integrated. A detailed investigation and discussion on the mechanical behavior of a dry masonry retaining wall is made by comparing the results among different experimental cases which had different seismic reinforcement treatment with the help of tilting table experiments conducted in a geotechnical centrifuge. The results highlighted that the proposed method, the application of tilting reinforcement bars together with the integration of individual wall blocks, led to the best seismic resilient performance of the retaining wall with the least measured soil deformations and soil strains at the backfill. Among all the tested cases, the proposed method resulted in the least mobilization of axial force and bending moment at the top of reinforcement bars which may result in the overall reduction of the construction cost (i.e., by reducing the number of reinforcement bars) aiming toward a performance‐based design. Lastly, an analytical evaluation of the factor of safety (FOS) against collapse as per the Mononobe‐Okabe theory was made which was found to be in excellent agreement with the centrifuge experiments revealing the proposed method to perform best among all the cases. [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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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 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]

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 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 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]

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]

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 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]

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 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]

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]

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]

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]

Objective: Multisystem proteinopathy (MSP) is an inherited disorder in which protein aggregates with TAR DNA‐binding protein of 43 kDa form in multiple organs. Mutations in VCP, HNRNPA2B1, HNRNPA1, SQSTM1, MATR3, and ANXA11 are causative for MSP. This study aimed to conduct a nationwide epidemiological survey based on the diagnostic criteria established by the Japan MSP study group. Methods: We conducted a nationwide epidemiological survey by administering primary and secondary questionnaires among 6235 specialists of the Japanese Society of Neurology. Results: In the primary survey, 47 patients with MSP were identified. In the secondary survey of 27 patients, inclusion body myopathy was the most common initial symptom (74.1%), followed by motor neuron disease (11.1%), frontotemporal dementia (FTD, 7.4%), and Paget's disease of bone (PDB, 7.4%), with no cases of parkinsonism. Inclusion body myopathy occurred most frequently during the entire course of the disease (81.5%), followed by motor neuron disease (25.9%), PDB (18.5%), FTD (14.8%), and parkinsonism (3.7%). Laboratory findings showed a high frequency of elevated serum creatine kinase levels and abnormalities on needle electromyography, muscle histology, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and perfusion single‐photon emission computed tomography. Interpretation: The low frequency of FTD and PDB may suggest that FTD and PDB may be widely underdiagnosed and undertreated in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have been increasingly used in the treatment of ovarian cancer, with BRCA positivity and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) being common biomarkers used for predicting their efficacy. However, given the limitations of these biomarkers, new ones need to be explored. Methods: This retrospective study included 181 ovarian cancer patients who received olaparib or niraparib at two independent hospitals in Japan between May 2018 and December 2022. Clinical information and blood sampling data were collected. Patient characteristics, treatment history, and predictability of treatment duration based on blood data before treatment initiation were examined. Results: High‐grade serous carcinoma, BRCA positivity, HRD, and maintenance therapy after recurrence treatment were observed more frequently in the olaparib group than in the niraparib group. The most common reasons for treatment interruption were anemia, fatigue, and nausea in the olaparib group and thrombocytopenia in the niraparib group. Regarding response to olaparib treatment, complete response to the most recent treatment, maintenance therapy after the first chemotherapy, high‐grade serous carcinoma, and germline BRCA positivity were observed significantly more frequently among responders than among non‐responders. Furthermore, neutrophil counts were significantly higher among responders than among non‐responders. Conclusions: Inflammation‐related blood data, such as neutrophil count, obtained at the initial pre‐treatment visit might serve as potential predictors for prolonged olaparib treatment. While this study offers valuable insights into potential indicators for prolonged olaparib treatment, it underscores the need for more expansive research to strengthen our understanding of PARP inhibitors and optimize treatment strategies in ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the relative influences of environmental, spatial, and historical factors, including the island‐specific history of land connectivity, on bat assemblages in the Japanese Archipelago. We collected bat distribution data from 1408 studies and assigned them to Japan's First Standard Grid (approximately 6400 km2). Japanese bat assemblages were analyzed at two scales: the entire Japanese Archipelago comprised 16 islands and exclusively the four main islands. At first, we calculated taxonomic and functional total beta diversity (βtotal) by Jaccard pairwise dissimilarity and then divided this into turnover (βrepl) and richness‐difference (βrich) components. We conducted hierarchical clustering of taxonomic beta diversity to examine the influence of the two representative sea straits, Tsugaru and Tokara, which are considered biogeographical borders. Variation partitioning was conducted to evaluate the relative effects of the three factors on the beta diversity. Clustering revealed that the Tokara Strait bordered the two major clades; however, the Tsugaru Strait did not act as a biogeographical border for bats. In the variation partitioning, shared fraction between spatial and historical factors significantly explained taxonomic and functional βtotal and taxonomic βrepl at the entire archipelago scale, but not at the four main islands scale extending only Tsugaru Strait but not Tokara Strait. Pure environmental factors significantly explained functional βtotal at both scales and taxonomic βtotal only at the four main islands scale. These results suggest that spatial and historical factors are more pronounced in biogeographical borders, primarily structuring assemblage composition at the entire archipelago scale, especially in taxonomic dimension. However, current environmental factors primarily shape the assemblage composition of Japanese bats at the main island scale. The difference in results between the two scales highlights that the primary processes governing assemblages of both dimensions depend on the quality of the dispersal barriers between terrestrial and aquatic barriers for bats. [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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Digital technology is reshaping workplaces by enabling spatial separation of offices, known as telework, or remote intelligence (RI) and by facilitating automation of service sector tasks via artificial intelligence (AI). This paper is the first attempt to empirically investigate whether AI and RI are complements or substitutes in the service sector. It uses a worker‐level panel of surveys collected from around 10,000 workers from pre‐COVID‐19 pandemic to late 2022. We find preliminary evidence that suggests that AI and RI are complements rather than substitutes. The evidence comes first from the positive correlation of investments in AI‐promoting and RI‐promoting software at the firm and worker level, and second from the positive correlation of workers' expectations regarding telework and software automation. The evidence is far from definitive but suggests that the complement‐substitution question is a fruitful line for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difference in observed atmospheric anomalies over the Northern Hemisphere winter between 2021–22 and 2020–21 La Niña years indicated a tripole pattern consisting of a Japan cyclone, a Bering Sea anticyclone, and a cyclone over the North American continent. This feature, however, was not replicated in the North American Multi‐Model Ensemble (NMME) forecasts. A set of model sensitivity experiments was performed to better understand the cause of this discrepancy. The results revealed the possible role of the influence of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, particularly over the Indian Ocean, on the observed circulation differences that was further modulated by internal atmospheric variability. The failure in predicting circulation changes in NMME was next attributed to the errors in SST predictions over the Indian Ocean and highlights the need for improvements in SST forecasts over this region. Plain Language Summary: The tropical SST anomalies associated with the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are known to influence the global atmospheric circulation and are the major source of skill in U.S. seasonal predictions. As the cold phase of ENSO, La Niña features below‐normal SST anomalies and suppressed convection over the equatorial central and eastern Pacific. Such a tropical heating distribution favors the formation of the atmospheric circulation pattern that has a roughly opposite effect on U.S. surface climate compared to El Niño, the warm phase of ENSO, although the effect is not strictly symmetric. For the recent two La Niña boreal winters of 2020–21 and 2021–22, the observed circulation patterns differed, but dynamical seasonal prediction failed to replicate this feature. Understanding the cause for the discrepancy of circulation changes between prediction and observations is of fundamental importance for the improvement of seasonal forecasts. Toward this, we designed numerical experiments that are forced with observed and predicted SST anomalies over different ocean basins. The results show that it is the errors in SST prediction over the Indian Ocean that contributed to the failure in the prediction of circulation changes, highlighting the importance of skillful prediction of SST over this region. Key Points: The difference in observed atmospheric anomalies for 2022 versus 2021 La Niña boreal winters featured a Northern Hemisphere tripole patternIndian Ocean SST contributed to the formation of observed tripole pattern, with internal atmospheric variability modulating its magnitudeErrors in SST predictions over the Indian Ocean led to the failure in predictions of the circulation changes in NMME forecasts [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]

Aim: We explored institutional factors in Japan associated with lower operative mortality and failure‐to‐rescue (FTR) rates for eight major gastrointestinal procedures. Methods: A 22‐item online questionnaire was sent to 2119 institutional departments (IDs) to examine the association between institutional factors and operative mortality and FTR rates. IDs were classified according to the number of annual surgeries, board certification status, and locality. In addition, the top 20% and bottom 20% of IDs were identified based on FTR rates and matched with the results of the questionnaire survey. Factors associated with operative mortality were selected by multivariate analysis. Results: Of the 1083 IDs that responded to the questionnaire, 568 (213 382 patients) were included in the analysis. Operative morbidity, operative mortality, and FTR rates in the top 20% and bottom 20% of IDs were 13.1% and 8.4% (p < 0.001), 0.52% and 4.3% (p < 0.001), and 4.0% and 51.2% (p < 0.001), respectively. Based on the patients' background characteristics, the top 20% of IDs handled more advanced cases. No significant difference in locality was seen between better or worse hospital FTR rates, but fewer esophagectomies, hepatectomies, and pancreatoduodenectomies were performed in depopulated areas. Six items were found to be associated with operative mortality by multivariate logistic analysis. Only 50 (8.8%) IDs met all five factors related to better FTR rates. Conclusions: The present findings indicate that several hospital factors surrounding surgical treatment, characterized by abundant human resources, are closely related to better postoperative recovery from severe complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to verify the clinical feasibility of tele‐proctoring using our ultra‐low latency communication system with shared internet access. Methods: Connections between two multiple remote locations at various distances were established through the TELEPRO® tele‐proctoring system. The server records the latency between the two locations for tele‐proctoring using the annotations. Questionnaires were administered to the surgeons, assistants, and medical staff. Respondents rated the quickness and quality of communication in terms of latency and disturbances in the audio, video, and usefulness of the live telestrations with annotation. Results: Seven hospitals tele‐proctored with Sapporo Medical University between January 2021 and September 2022. The median latency of annotation between the two locations ranged from 24.5 to 48.5 ms. No major technological problems occurred, such as streaming interruption, loss of video or audio, poor resolution. The video encoding time was 10 ms, and its decoding time was 0.8 ms. The total latency positively correlated with the distance between two locations (R = 0.55, p < 0.01). The quality of communication regarding latency, disturbance, and surgical education with intraoperative annotative instructions showed similar trends, with perfectly fine being the most common response. No significant differences in surgical quality, educational effect, or social impact were observed between the latency ≥30 and <30 ms groups for whether the size of latency affects surgical education. Conclusion: The feasibility of the tele‐proctoring system is expected to be a sustainable approach to help education for young surgeons and surgical supports in rural areas, thereby reducing disparities in health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Site resonance frequency is a crucial parameter for estimating site effects. However, there is currently no consensus on how to identify the bedrock interface to obtain the site resonance frequency. In this study, we identified 43 stations that can be regarded as one‐dimensional sites from the KiK‐net network in Japan, which consists of 699 stations. By analyzing the horizontal‐to‐vertical spectral ratio and surface‐to‐borehole spectral ratio of strong motion observation recordings, the fundamental resonance frequency (f0) of these 43 sites was determined. Subsequently, the correlation between the f0 values obtained from theoretical noise horizontal‐to‐vertical spectral ratio (NHV) with different bedrock interfaces and the f0 values determined from observation was analyzed. The conclusion shows that the f0 is primarily influenced by shallow interfaces with high S‐wave impedance contrasts (ICs). Specifically, when the bedrock interface is taken as the interface with ICs greater than 2.5 that appears for the first time, or the interface with ICs greater than 1.5 that appears for the second time, there is a strong correlation (greater than 0.86) between the f0 values obtained from theoretical NHV and from observation. These findings can provide a quantitative reference for accurately determining the fundamental resonance frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground motion recording with peak ground acceleration (PGA) exceeding 1.43 g was observed at the Yamamoto (MYGH10) station during the MW 7.1 Fukushima earthquake off the east coast of Honshu, Japan, in February 2021. In this study, we investigated the site amplification effect and nonlinear site response at the MYGH10 site using the horizontal‐to‐vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) and surface‐to‐borehole spectral ratio (SBSR), respectively. The site transfer function of station MYGH10 was presented using HVSRs (HVSR on the ground surface) and SBSR at different frequency bands. The dominant contributing frequency band of the PGA was determined by increasing the high cutoff frequency of the bandpass filter when filtering the acceleration recording, which was used to interpret the anomaly of the PGA by combining it with the site characteristics. We found an obvious site effect below the downhole sensor through the HVSRb (HVSR on the downhole bedrock) and determined the influence of the frequency band of the downhole site on ground motion. In addition, substantial discrepancies in the frequency and amplitude between the spectral ratio curves for the Fukushima mainshock records and the weak historical motions were identified. The calculated values of the degree of nonlinearity suggested that a strong nonlinear site response occurred at station MYGH10. Finally, the recovery of the site after strong shaking was evaluated by using the average spectral ratio curves of several aftershock records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of non‐structural elements (NSEs) in the seismic performance of buildings has been highlighted in past years. Research studies following state‐of‐the‐art methodologies generally find that when the structural collapse is not of significant concern, NSEs tend to dominate the repair costs and financial investment required in a building. This paper examines field observations from interviews and data collected from commercial buildings via structural health monitoring (SHM) following the 2018 Osaka earthquake in Japan. It suggests that fragility functions used in current methodologies for estimating NSE damage may not be entirely representative of the in‐situ reality and possibly underestimate actual damage. Additionally, interviews with building owners/managers indicate that the alarm and financial impact of NSEs was not as critical as anticipated, with much of the observed NSE damage not of serious concern and tolerable in many cases. This article provides discussion and insight into possible causes for these differences before discussing how current methodologies can benefit from these observations. It is believed that many of the fragility functions currently used to estimate NSE damage may not be representative because of differences in installation conditions and loading protocols used in experimental testing, possible interaction with other elements, variability in the quality of workmanship during installation and possible wear, tear and degradation during service. On the other hand, it is seen how SHM data recorded during seismic events may provide valuable data for an alternative means to develop fragility functions. Furthermore, it is seen that when building recovery states (RSs) other than the implicitly assumed 'full recovery' state used in guidelines like FEMA P‐58 are explored, the role of NSEs in direct monetary losses significantly reduces. This coincides with the field observations in Japan regarding the impact of NSEs and supports the recent developments in functional recovery on what building owners and occupants are prepared to tolerate post‐earthquake. It indicates that when discussing the relative importance of different building performance groups, it is vital that the expected RS is also stated, as for most decision‐makers following major events, functionality rather than full recovery remains the primary goal; hence, repairs and proactive measures should bear this in mind for more effective use of resources. [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]

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 study aimed to evaluate probable maximum precipitation (PMP) estimated using surface dew points (SDP) or actual precipitable water obtained from upper‐air data (UAD) in the moisture‐maximization method with the help of sufficient extreme precipitation events using large‐scale climate ensemble simulation data (d4PDF). The deviations between the PMP variables estimated by the SDP and UAD approaches were analyzed for southern and northern areas of Japan to consider the regional characteristics of the deviations. We found that the deviations were high in northern areas where the SDPs are relatively low during precipitation events. The PMPs estimated using each approach were also compared to the extreme‐scale reference precipitation proposed in this study. The SDP approach overestimated the PMPs by over 20% compared to the reference precipitation in the northern region. However, the UAD approach showed very low average errors in all southern and northern areas. This tendency of the SDP approach was significantly related to the regional climatic characteristics of the SDP, which indicated that the SDP approach may estimate an uncertain PMP value depending on each regional climatic characteristic compared to the UAD approach. Regional climatic characteristics should be considered when using the SDP approach to estimate the PMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic has impacted healthcare behaviors, leading to fewer pediatric visits in Japan and potentially fewer visits by adult patients. However, existing Japanese studies on treatment interruptions have generally relied on questionnaire‐based methods. In this study, we assessed the impact of the pandemic on antihypertensive treatment interruption using real‐world prescription data. Methods: We conducted an interrupted time series analysis using the National Health Insurance Database in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Participants included individuals aged 40–69 years with at least one antihypertensive prescription between 2018 and 2020. Treatment interruption was defined as a 3‐month or longer gap in prescriptions after medication depletion. We used segmented Poisson regression with models unadjusted and adjusted for seasonality and over‐dispersion to assess monthly treatment interruptions before and after Japan's April 2020 emergency. Results: During the study period, 23.0% of 55,431 participants experienced treatment interruptions. Cyclical fluctuations in interruptions were observed. The crude analysis indicated a 1.2‐fold increase in treatment interruptions following the pandemic; however, the adjusted models showed no significant changes. Even among higher‐risk groups, such as women, younger adults, and those with shorter prescriptions, no significant alterations were observed. Conclusion: We found no significant impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on antihypertensive treatment interruption in Okayama Prefecture. The less severe outbreak in the area or increased use of telemedicine and extended prescriptions may have contributed to treatment continuity. Further research is needed using a more stable and comprehensive database, broader regional data, and detailed prescription records to validate and extend our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In Japan, the daily dosage of hypnotic drugs for insomnia treatment is increasing year by year, and over‐dependence on treatment with hypnotic drugs is a major problem. This study aimed to examine the factors related to the elimination of prescriptions of three or more hypnotic drugs within 1 year in our clinic. Methods: We conducted two surveys. Survey ① assessed the frequency of prescriptions of three or more hypnotic drugs by retrospectively reviewing the medical records of all patients who visited general and psychiatric outpatient clinics from January 2013 to March 2019. Survey ② assessed changes in prescriptions of hypnotic and psychotropic drugs within the subsequent year by retrospectively reviewing the medical records of all patients prescribed three or more hypnotic drugs who visited neuropsychiatric outpatient clinics multiple times between April 2013 and March 2019. Results: The frequency of prescribing three or more hypnotic drugs was six to nine times higher in psychiatry than in other departments. Flunitrazepam and brotizolam were the most common drugs prescribed and had the second lowest discontinuation rate after zolpidem. Conversely, eszopiclone, zopiclone, and suvorexant had the highest discontinuation rates. The success factors for drug reduction were age (odds ratio [OR]: 0.97, p < 0.0037), trazodone addition (OR: 12.86, p < 0.0194) and number of years of psychiatric experience. Conclusions: The characteristics and success factors in relation to drug reduction in patients with multiple prescriptions of hypnotic drugs identified in this study may contribute to solving the problem of multiple prescriptions of hypnotic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic and government regulations have affected the daily lives and mental health of individuals worldwide. This study aimed to determine how much the change in time spent on exercise (exercise time), outdoor activities ("going‐out" time), and screen usage (screen time) before and after the COVID‐19 pandemic has affected mental health (depression, anxiety, and insomnia). In June 2021, during the third wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic, a web‐based, cross‐sectional survey was conducted in Japan through an online research company. A total of 824 workers participated in this study. Depression, anxiety, and insomnia were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9, General Anxiety Disorder‐7, and Insomnia Severity Index, respectively. The symptoms of depression were associated with age and decreased exercise time. Symptoms of anxiety were associated with not decreased going‐out time. Symptoms of insomnia were associated with reduced exercise time. The results indicated that during the COVID‐19 pandemic, an increase in exercise time could have prevented depression and insomnia. Similarly, a decrease in going‐out time could have prevented anxiety. Furthermore, in the event of future outbreaks of unpredictable infections, such as COVID‐19, decreased going out and increased exercise may help maintain mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Interview quality is an important factor in the success of clinical trials for major depressive disorder (MDD). There is a substantial need to establish a reliable, remote clinical assessment interview system that can replace traditional in‐person interviews. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, unblinded, prospective, cross‐sectional study to assess the reliability of remote interviews in patients with MDD (UMIN000041839). Eligible patients with MDD underwent remote and in‐person sessions of the Montgomery‐Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) assessment performed by different raters within 28 days of providing consent. Patients were randomized to a group first assessed using in‐person interviews and secondarily using remote interviews (in‐person‐first group) or a group first assessed by remote interviews and secondarily using in‐person interviews (remote‐first group). Nineteen trained people (15 clinical psychologists, 3 nurses, and 1 clinical laboratory technologist) performed interviews. Results: Of 59 patients (in‐person‐first group, n = 32; remote‐first group, n = 27) who completed both remote and in‐person interviews, 51% (n = 30) were women; the mean age was 41.6 years (range, 21–64 years). There was a strong association between remote and in‐person MADRS scores (r = 0.891, kappa = 0.901). An overall intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.886 (95% confidence interval, 0.877–0.952) indicated good consistency between MADRS scores in remote and in‐person interviews. The ICC decreased as the severity of depression increased. Conclusion: Our results suggest remote interviews are a feasible alternative option to in‐person interviews in assessing symptom severity in MDD patients and could promote clinical trials in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]