Search

Evacuation route recommendation plays an important role in emergency safety management, especially for natural disaster. When refugees flee a disaster area, the most important thing is to QUICKLY find the GLOBAL OPTIMAL evacuation route through analyzing the current situation in real time. Because the data for evacuation route recommendation is high-dimensional and huge-size, it is challenging to find an approach to quickly analyze such complex data collected from the current situation to find the optimal evacuation route. Most existing methods addressed this problem through analyzing a small part of the data (i.e., neighborhood) or reduced-size data, so that the important features of the data may not be retained. Therefore, this paper proposed a machine learning based method for evacuation route recommendation, which employs the auto-encoder method to reduce the data, and then conducts a reinforcement learning based route selection algorithm on the reduced data. Firstly, the feature-retained data reduction method is achieved through using the auto-encoder algorithm based on multilayer perception. By doing so, the complex high dimensional big data can be visualized in a 2D scatter plot, which can fully retain all the important features. This data reduction process is executed very efficiently, because an incremental training model is proposed. This model can also resolve the over-fitting problems caused by training the whole dataset together. Then, a Markov decision process based prediction model is proposed to design the global optimal evacuation route. Furthermore, new action rules, reward function, and discount factor have also been designed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method has been demonstrated through analyzing evacuation routes using the meteorological data of Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underlying mechanism of the ongoing seismic swarm in the Noto Peninsula, Japan, which generates earthquakes at 10 times the average regional rate, remains elusive. We capture the evolution of the subsurface stress state by monitoring changes in seismic wave velocities over an 11-year period. A sustained long-term increase in seismic velocity that is seasonally modulated drops before the earthquake swarm. We use a three-dimensional hydromechanical model to quantify environmentally driven variations in excess pore pressure, revealing its crucial role in governing the seasonal modulation with a stress sensitivity of 6 × 10-9 per pascal. The decrease in seismic velocity aligns with vertical surface uplift, suggesting potential fluid migration from a high-pore pressure zone at depth. Stress changes induced by abnormally intense snow falls contribute to initiating the swarm through subsequent perturbations to crustal pore pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven years (2005–2015) of data from long-term monitoring at a Japanese remote background site in Wajima, were analyzed to investigate temporal trends and sources. Water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) were analyzed for aerosol chemical composition. The total WSIIs concentration was 7.93 ± 3.93 μg/m3, accounting for 42.3% of TSP mass, ranged from 11.4 to 93.9%. SO 4 2− is the most abundant ion, contributing a total WSII mass from 18.0 to 79.8%, and non-sea-salt (nss-) SO 4 2− contributed from 63.6% to 99.6% of total SO 4 2−, which was related to human activities on the Asian continent and the effects of marine precursors in spring and summer, respectively. NO 3 − and NH 4 + contribute 6.3 and 7.4% of the total WSIIs and were affected by long-range transport and local sources as well. The increasing trend of Na+ and Cl− indicates the increased influence of sea salt, which is caused by more frequent strong winds. K+ is mainly produced from biomass burning with a stable seasonal variation, Ca2+ as the characteristic ion of dust has the highest concentration in spring. Mg2+ comes from minerals and marine sources during spring and summer, respectively. This work describes in detail the annual change trend of the WSIIs of atmospheric particles in the Wajima area, seasonal characteristics, and source contributions, provide a comprehensive understanding of long-term variation in atmospheric particulate. • TSP unchanged significantly within 11 years, while WSIIs showing a positive trend. • The marine influence is more prominent with reduced anthropogenic pollution. • SO 4 2− was driven by both continent outflow and marine origin in spring. • The gas-particle conversion determined by the domestic NO 2 controls NO 3 − in spring. • The seasonal variation of sea salt is consistent with average wind speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transboundary transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) aggravated by the East Asian winter monsoon is a major atmospheric environmental issue in East Asia. To thoroughly elucidate the role of the East Asian monsoon on regional PAH and NPAH pollution in East Asia, PM 2.5 -bound PAHs and NPAHs were investigated concurrently at five sites in Beijing and Shenyang in China and Tsukuba, Kanazawa, and Wajima in Japan in autumn (November 2018) and spring (March 2019). During both autumn and spring sampling periods, the concentrations of PM 2.5 , PAHs, and NPAHs at sites in China were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those at sites in Japan, and showed an opposite temporal variation, with higher concentrations during the autumn sampling period due to intensive emissions and unfavourable weather conditions. During the sampling periods, PAHs at the Beijing and Shenyang sites had mixed sources of traffic emissions and coal and biomass combustion, while those at the Tsukuba, Kanazawa, and Wajima sites were mainly characterized by domestic traffic emissions. In addition, NPAHs at the five sites were jointly affected by primary combustion sources and atmospheric generation, with a greater contribution of atmospheric generation to the Beijing and Shenyang sites. Based on backwards trajectory clustering and concentration-weighted trajectory analysis, external contributions to PM 2.5 , PAHs, and NPAHs at each site were relatively stable during the two sampling periods, and potential source areas were mainly distributed in domestic cities and nearby sea areas. Therefore, the apparent temporal differences in the characteristics and sources of pollutants between sites in the two countries indicate that transboundary pollution dominated by the East Asian winter monsoon was unobvious in autumn and spring. The results of the study provide a time-specific solution for the effective management of regional air pollution during the East Asian winter monsoon., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A three-year sampling campaign was conducted at a roadside air pollution monitoring station in the urban area of Kanazawa, Japan. Due to a new emission regulation, PAHs levels decreased over the sampling campaign, exhibiting values of 706 ± 413 pg/m 3 in 2017, 559 ± 384 pg/m 3 in 2018, and 473 ± 234 pg/m 3 in 2019. In each year, similar seasonal variations in PAHs levels were observed, with higher levels observed in winter and lower levels in summer. Among the PAHs isomer ratios, we observed that the ratio of benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) and benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), [BbF]/([BbF] + [BkF]), and the ratio of indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (IDP) and benzo[ghi]perylene (BgPe), [IDP]/([BgPe] + [IDP]), showed stability over the sampling campaign and were less affected by the new emission regulation, seasonal variations, and regional characteristics. When using the combined ratio ranges of 0.66 - 0.80 ([BbF]/([BbF] + [BkF]) and 0.26-0.49 ([IDP]/([BgPe] + [IDP]), traffic emissions were clearly distinguished from other PAHs emission sources. Principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) were also performed to further analyse the characteristics of traffic-related PAHs. Overall, this study affirmed the effectiveness of the new emission regulation in the reduction of PAHs emissions and provided a combined range for identifying PAHs traffic emission sources., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the characteristics of menopausal symptoms among Japanese and Chinese women and to determine the correlation between menopausal symptoms and self-efficacy., Methods: We surveyed 40- to 59-year-old women, 329 of whom were from an urban area in Northwest China (Xi'an) and 310 were from an urban area in Western Japan (Ehime), using a menopausal symptoms inventory and a self-efficacy scale. Comparison analysis was conducted among pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal status, within and between the two cultural groups. Following a two-way ANOVA, multiple comparisons were performed using the Tukey-Kramer test. The correlation between severity of menopause symptoms and self-efficacy scores was evaluated using canonical correlation analysis., Results: The most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue (93.6%) among Japanese women and memory loss (76.6%) among Chinese women. Japanese women showed significantly higher severity scores across all factors than Chinese, sexual function: 19.58 (SE = 0.73) versus 15.04 (SE = 0.67); mental health condition: 35.44 (SE = 1.15) versus 27.12 (SE = 0.95); interpersonal anxiety: 27.45 (SE = 0.95) versus 21.92 (SE = 0.86); autonomic balance: 42.76 (SE = 1.27) versus 35.75 (SE = 1.17); other subjective symptoms: 39.68 (SE = 1.20) versus 33.07 (SE = 1.12) in the premenopausal group (P < 0.01); and mental health conditions 35.14 (SE = 1.41) versus 29.60 (SE = 1.25), interpersonal anxiety: 27.34 (SE = 1.18) versus 20.79 (SE = 1.02), autonomic balance factors: 45.81 (SE = 1.79) versus 38.05 (SE = 1.67) in the postmenopausal group (P < 0.01). No significant differences of the factors among menopausal stages within Japanese women were found. Among Chinese women, peri- and postmenopausal women showed significantly higher severity scores on sexual function, while perimenopausal women scored higher on mental health conditions and autonomic balance factors (P < 0.01). A negative correlation was found between menopausal symptoms and self-efficacy among both Japanese and Chinese women (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Japanese women reported more severe symptoms compared with their Chinese counterparts, and for Chinese women, symptoms might be specifically associated with menopausal status. Menopausal experience is associated with self-efficacy and vice versa., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure/conflicts of interest: None reported., (Copyright © 2021 by The North American Menopause Society.)

Kirishima is a typical Japanese commercial city, famous for frequent volcanic activity. This is the first study to determine the characteristics of PM 2.5 -bound polycyclic and nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs and NPAHs) and water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) in this city. In this study, the non-volcanic eruption period was taken as the target and daily PM 2.5 samples were collected from 24 November to 21 December 2016. The daily concentrations in PM 2.5 of ƩPAHs, ƩNPAHs, and ƩWSIIs ranged from 0.36 to 2.90 ng/m 3 , 2.12 to 22.3 pg/m 3 , and 1.96 to 11.4 μg/m 3 , respectively. Through the results of the diagnostic ratio analyses of the PAHs, NPAHs, and WSIIs and the backward trajectory analysis of the air masses arriving in Kirishima, the emission sources of PAHs, NPAHs, and WSIIs in PM 2.5 in Kirishima were influenced by the coal burning that came from the East Asian continent, although there was no influence from volcanic emission sources during the sampling period. The total benzo[ a ]pyrene (BaP)-equivalent concentration was lower than many other cities but the health risks in Kirishima were nonetheless notable. These findings are very important for future research on PM samples during the inactive Asian monsoon and volcanic eruption periods, to further understand the characteristics of air pollutants in Kirishima, and to contribute to the improvement in health of residents and a reduction in the atmospheric circulation of air pollutants in East Asia.

As a background sampling site in western Japan, the Kanazawa University Wajima Air Monitoring Station (KUWAMS) continuously observes the air pollutants, including PM 1 , PM 2.5 , organic carbon (OC) and element carbon (EC). Data for September 2019 to April 2020 were compared with data for September 2018 to April 2019. The mean concentrations of both PM 1 and PM 2.5 were 4.10 µg/m 3 (47%) and 5.82 µg/m 3 (33%) lower, respectively in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) period (January to April) than in the same period in 2019. Notably, the average concentrations of both classes of particulate matter (PM) in the COVID-19 period were the lowest for that period in all years since 2016. OC and EC also considerably lower (by 69 and 63%, respectively) during the COVID-19 period than during the same period in 2019. All pollutants were then started to increase after the resumption of the work in 2020. The pollutant variations correspond to the measure implemented during the COVID-19 period, including the nationwide lockdown and work resumption. Furthermore, the reductions in the ratios PM 1 /PM 2.5 and OC/EC during COVID-19 period indicate lighter pollution and fewer emission sources. This analysis of the changes in the pollutant concentrations during the epidemic and non-epidemic periods illustrates the significance of the dominant pollution emissions at KUWAMS and the impact of pollution from China that undergoes long-range transport to KUWAMS.

Daily PM 2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm) samples were simultaneously collected at two background sites (Wajima Air Monitoring Station (WAMS) and Fukue-Jima Atmosphere and Aerosol Monitoring Station (FAMS)) in Japan in the East Asian winter and summer monsoon periods of 2017 and 2019, to compare the characteristics of air pollutants among different regions and to determine the possible variation during the long-range transport process. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs (NPAHs), and water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) were analyzed. Despite the PM 2.5 concentrations at FAMS (8.90-78.5 µg/m 3 ) being higher than those at WAMS (2.33-21.2 µg/m 3 ) in the winter monsoon period, the average concentrations of ∑PAHs, ∑NPAHs, and ∑WSIIs were similar between the two sites. Diagnostic ratios indicated PAHs mainly originated from traffic emissions and mostly aged, whereas NPAHs were mostly secondarily formed during long-range transport. WSIIs at WAMS were mainly formed via the combustion process and secondary reactions, whereas those at FAMS mainly originated from sea salt and dust. Backward trajectories revealed the air masses could not only come from Asian continental coastal regions but also distant landlocked areas in the winter monsoon period, whereas most came from the ocean in the summer monsoon period. These findings can provide basic data for the establishment of prediction models of transboundary air pollutants in East Asia.

Background : Background sites are mainly affected by long-range-transported air pollutants, resulting in potential adverse effects on local atmospheric environments. A 4-5 year observational study was conducted to illustrate the air pollution profile at the Kanazawa University Wajima air monitoring station (KUWAMS), an ideal remote background site in Japan. Methods : Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the particulate phase and various air pollutants were continuously monitored for 4-5 years. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs and back-trajectory analysis were applied to trace the possible sources of the air pollutants collected at the sampling site. Results : The atmospheric concentration of PAHs in the atmosphere at the site decreased from 2014 to 2019, benefit from the predominant air pollution control policy in China and Japan. Common air pollutants including sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), ozone, methane (CH 4 ), and non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) were detected in low concentrations from 2016 to 2019, while ozone (O 3 ) and particulate matter (PM 2.5 , PM with a diameter less than 2.5 μm) were present in high levels that exceeded the Japanese standards. Most air pollutants peaked in spring and showed evident diurnal variations in spring and summer. Conclusions : This is the first study to clarify the atmospheric behaviors of multiple air pollutants at a background site in Japan. Significant external air pollutant impact and unneglectable air pollution were demonstrated at KUWAMS, indicating the importance of studying atmospheric pollution at remote sites.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) in PM 2.5 samples were collected at a roadside monitoring station in Kanazawa, Japan, in every season from 2017 to 2018. Nine PAHs and five NPAHs were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and chemiluminescence detection, respectively. The mean concentrations of PAHs and NPAHs were highest in winter and lowest in summer. Fluoranthene and pyrene were the dominant PAHs and 1-nitropyrene was the dominant NPAH in all seasons, and these compounds were mainly emitted by diesel vehicles. The concentration ratio of benzo( a )pyrene (BaP) to benzo( ghi )perylene (BgPe) ((BaP)/(BgPe)) and of indeno(1,2,3- cd )pyrene (IDP) to the sum of IDP and benzo( ghi )perylene (BgPe) ((IDP)/((IDP)+(BgPe0) might still be useful indicators for identifying traffic emission sources today. Moreover, our results showed that the carcinogenic risk in all seasons was below the acceptable limit set by the WHO.