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Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) emissions were estimated by the "area-ratio Fraunhofer line depth (aFLD) method", a new retrieval methodology in spectra from a low spectral resolution (SR) spectroradiometer (MS-700: full width half maximum (FWHM) of 10 nm and spectral sampling interval of 3.3 nm), assisted with a scaling to reference SIF detected from high SR spectrum. The sparse pixels of a spectrum of low SR misses detecting the minimum of the O2A absorption band around at 760 nm, which makes the SIF detection by conventional FLD methods lose accuracy considerably. To overcome this, the aFLD method uses the definite integral of spectra over a wide interval between 750 and 780 nm. The integration of the spectrum is insusceptible to the change in shape of the depression curve, leading to higher accuracy of the aFLD method. Daily SIF, calculated by the aFLD method using the spectra obtained with MS-700, was scaled to reference daily SIF calculated by the spectral fitting method using the spectra obtained from August to December 2019 with an ultrafine SR spectroradiometer (QE Pro, FWHM = 0.24 nm). As a result, SIF calculated from MS-700 spectra by aFLD method was strongly correlated with the reference SIF from QE Pro spectra (r2 = 0.81) and was successfully scaled. Then, the scaled 11-year SIF from MS-700 at a deciduous broadleaf forest showed the correlation with GPP at multiple time steps: daily, monthly, and yearly, consistently during 2008–2018. The comparison of aFLD-derived SIF with the global Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) SIF data set (GOSIF) showed high correlation on monthly values during 2008–2017 (r2 = 0.85). The combining approach of the aFLD method with a scaling to reference SIF successfully detected long-term canopy SIF emissions, which has great potential to provide essential information on ecosystem-level photosynthesis.

New tumor types are continuously being described with advances in molecular testing and genomic analysis resulting in better prognostics, new targeted therapy options and improved patient outcomes. As a result of these advances, pathological classification of tumors is periodically updated with new editions of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors books. In 2021, WHO Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System, 5

The need for progress in satellite remote sensing of terrestrial ecosystems is intensifying under climate change. Further progress in Earth observations of photosynthetic activity and primary production from local to global scales is fundamental to the analysis of the current status and changes in the photosynthetic productivity of terrestrial ecosystems. In this paper, we review plant ecophysiological processes affecting optical properties of the forest canopy which can be measured with optical remote sensing by Earth-observation satellites. Spectral reflectance measured by optical remote sensing is utilized to estimate the temporal and spatial variations in the canopy structure and primary productivity. Optical information reflects the physical characteristics of the targeted vegetation; to use this information efficiently, mechanistic understanding of the basic consequences of plant ecophysiological and optical properties is essential over broad scales, from single leaf to canopy and landscape. In theory, canopy spectral reflectance is regulated by leaf optical properties (reflectance and transmittance spectra) and canopy structure (geometrical distributions of leaf area and angle). In a deciduous broadleaf forest, our measurements and modeling analysis of leaf-level characteristics showed that seasonal changes in chlorophyll content and mesophyll structure of deciduous tree species lead to a seasonal change in leaf optical properties. The canopy reflectance spectrum of the deciduous forest also changes with season. In particular, canopy reflectance in the green region showed a unique pattern in the early growing season: green reflectance increased rapidly after leaf emergence and decreased rapidly after canopy closure. Our model simulation showed that the seasonal change in the leaf optical properties and leaf area index caused this pattern. Based on this understanding we discuss how we can gain ecophysiological information from satellite images at the landscape level. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of ecophysiological remote sensing by satellites.

Atmospheric aridity and soil drought control vegetation water use and affect the terrestrial water and carbon cycles. Separating these two types of drought is difficult but crucial because they relate to different ecosystem properties and their impacts depend on vegetation types. We examine how well satellite-observed solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) captures the drought responses of taiga and steppe in semiarid areas on the Mongolian plateau, which have experienced a historic drought since the late 1990s. Ten-year records of the GOSAT SIF and the MODIS-band-1 photochemical reflectance index (PRI, also known as chlorophyll/carotenoid index) from Aqua consistently suggest that the taiga is sensitive to vapor-pressure deficit but insensitive to surface-soil drought, and that the opposite is the case for the steppe. The MODIS PRI changes reasonably with temperature and drought stress, and also with canopy shades, which is attributable to the xanthophyll cycle. However the most influential factor on the PRI is leaf area in both vegetations, and temperature is the second in the taiga, indicating the dominant effect of its pigment-pool size. The leaf area index of the taiga has almost similar values and seasonal patterns in each year, while the SIF shows remarkable interannual changes. The SIF yield in the taiga decreases 36–48% on average with the increase of vapor-pressure deficit from 1 kPa to 3 kPa under high-PRI conditions. Almost all detectable information from the SIF yield in the steppe is correlated with PRI on a monthly basis. The SIF in the steppe decreases nonlinearly when the surface-soil-water content fell below ∼0.154 m3 m−3, which agrees well with an eddy-covariance result in this region and implies the capability of satellite-based wilting-point estimation. We will further clarify which biological factors affected the observed results of SIF and PRI using the process-based model 'Soil-Canopy-Observation of Photosynthesis and Energy fluxes' (SCOPE) and show the impact of drought on the gross primary production in the past decade.

Winter leaf reddening is a phenomenon that evergreen species’ leaf color changes into red resulting from the accumulation of red pigments before or during winter, which persists for several months before dissipating with springtime warming. Among the many hypotheses about the winter leaf reddening, photoprotection is currently the favored hypothesis. Several studies focused on leaf reddening in angiosperms species. Yet, little researches concerned about leaf reddening in gymnosperms species. In gymnosperms, a kind of xanthophyll pigment rhodoxanthin was reported to play an important role. However, the xanthophyll cycle is the main protection mechanism of plants to deal with excessive light energy.To track the winter leaf reddening phenomenon, we utilized the carotenoid-based vegetation index, the photochemical reflectance index (PRI), which is sensitive to changes in carotenoid pigments (e. g. xanthophyll pigments) in live foliage, as a tool to reflect the invisible phenology of photosynthesis by assessing carotenoid pigment dynamics. We used the CO2 flux data and the micrometeorological data collected from the temperate Japanese cypress forest from 2014 to 2019. We also made use of the digital camera to monitor the canopy phenology changes from 2016 to 2019. The digital camera took photos in 3 hours intervals with 3 different ROI (region of interest), the RGB channels of image data were extracted to calculate the RGB chromatic coordinates and the Red-Green vegetation index (RGVI).Our findings demonstrated that air temperature reached the lowest point had a one-month lag in the time than that of PAR. The imbalance between light energy absorption and light energy utilization might activate the photoprotection mechanism. The change in light use efficiency (LUE) might confirm this conjecture. LUE reached its peak at the end of December and then dropped sharply. It suggested the photoprotection mechanism was activated. The RGVI fluctuation showed the seasonal changes with that of PRI almost in contrast. PRI was highly correlated with RGVI (R=-0.806928034317071 in Pearson’s correlation test). It suggested that the winter leaf reddening phenomenon caused the decline of PRI. Further, the PRI and RGVI both were highly correlated with air temperature and PAR. Based on current observations, there are still many unclear mechanisms. In the future, we will try to better explain the mechanism of winter reddening with a new set of experiments. Keyword: winter leaf reddening, Japanese cypress, photochemical reflectance index (PRI), Red-Green vegetation index (RGVI), phenological analysis, digital camera

We present a simple model to assess the quantum yield of photochemistry (ΦP ) and CO2 assimilation rate from two parameters that are detectable by remote sensing: chlorophyll (chl) fluorescence and the photochemical reflectance index (PRI). ΦP is expressed as a simple function of the chl fluorescence yield (ΦF ) and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ): ΦP = 1-bΦF (1 + NPQ). Because NPQ is known to be related with PRI, ΦP can be remotely assessed from solar-induced fluorescence and the PRI. The CO2 assimilation rate can be assessed from the estimated ΦP value with either the maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax ), the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci ), or parameters of the stomatal conductance model. The model was applied to experimental data obtained for Chenopodium album leaves under various environmental conditions and was able to successfully predict ΦF values and the CO2 assimilation rate. The present model will improve the accuracy of assessments of gas exchange rates and primary productivity by remote sensing.

Summary Background & aims The associations between dietary magnesium intake and stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) incidences are inconsistent and not established in Asian. We aimed to determine the association between dietary magnesium intake and the risk of stroke and CHD in a Japanese population. Subjects/Methods We studied 85,293 Japanese subjects by questionnaire at baseline (age 45–74 years, without cardiovascular disease or cancer in 1995 and 1998 for Cohorts I and II, respectively). The participants were followed until the end of 2009 and 2010 in Cohorts I and II, respectively. Dietary magnesium intake was estimated from a self-administered 138-item food-frequency questionnaire. Results After 1,305,738 person-years of follow-up, 4110 strokes and 1283 cases of CHD were documented. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs, 95% confidence intervals, 95%CIs) of CHD for the fourth and fifth quintiles of dietary magnesium intake were 0.70 (0.50–0.99) and 0.66 (0.44–0.97) in men (P for trend = 0.036), respectively, and third quintile of dietary magnesium intake was 0.61 (0.39–0.96) in women (P for trend = 0.241), compared with the lowest quintile in men and women. We observed no decreased risks of incident stroke in men or women with higher dietary magnesium intakes. Conclusions Higher dietary magnesium intake was associated with a reduced risk of CHD in Japanese men.

Purpose Giant pulmonary arterial aneurysm (PAA) is a rare but serious complication for patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Heart-lung transplantation or lung transplantation with a full length of donor pulmonary artery (PA) for pulmonary artery reconstruction (PAR) are options for PH complicated with a giant PAA involving PA trunk to main PAs. We have been using donor aorta for the reconstruction of PA for these lung transplant cases. This study aimed to describe our intermediate-term outcomes of lung transplantation with PAR using donor aorta for PH complicated with a giant PAA. Methods This is a single center retrospective review from March 2000 to May 2020. We reviewed cadaveric lung transplantations for PH and compared the outcomes of lung transplantation with PAR (PAR group) with those without PAR (non-PAR group). Results Twenty-five PH patients underwent cadaveric lung transplantation. Among them, 5 patients with a giant PAA underwent lung transplantation with PAR using donor aorta. Representative 3D-CT images of a giant PAA and the reconstructed PA are shown in Figure A. The diameter of the PA trunk was significantly larger in the PAR group compared to the non-PAR group (Figure B). As expected, operative time was significantly longer in the PAR group compared to the non-PAR group (PAR, 1204 minutes; non-PAR, 965 minutes, p=0.035). On the other hand, primary graft dysfunction grade, 30-day mortality (PAR, 0%; non-PAR, 5.0%), 5-year survival rate (PAR, 100%; non-PAR, 73.9%, Figure C), and 6 minutes walk distance at 1 year after lung transplantation (PAR, 522 m; non-PAR, 526m) were not significantly different between the groups. The donor aortas used for PAR did not show constriction, obstruction, enlargement, or infection during the observation period. Conclusion Our experience supports that lung transplantation with PAR using donor aorta is a feasible surgical option for PH complicated with a giant PAA.

We assessed whether the impacts of various increases in global mean temperature from preindustrial levels (∆GMT) on terrestrial ecosystems and water resources could be approximated by linear scaling of the impacts of ∆GMT = 2 °C at global and large regional scales. Impacts on net primary production, CO2 emissions from biomass burning, soil erosion, and surface runoff calculated by impact model simulations driven by multiple climate scenarios were assessed for a ∆GMT range of 1.5–4 °C. The results showed that the linear scaling was tolerable for net primary production, biomass burning, and surface runoff for a global average. However, for regional averages, the linear scaling was unacceptable for net primary production and biomass burning as well as for soil erosion at around 3 °C in numerous regions around the world. The linear scaling was judged to be tolerable for surface runoff in most regions where the impacts of 2 °C were statistically significant, but there were large uncertainties in future changes in surface runoff in many regions. Exploring the applicability of linear scaling could help simplify and streamline climate-change impact assessments at various ∆GMTs. Our approach leaves room for refinement, and further investigation will be worthwhile.

The carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions released from biomass burning significantly affect the temporal variations of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Based on a long-term (July 2009–June 2015) retrieved data sets by the greenhouse gases observing satellite (GOSAT), the seasonal cycle and interannual variations of column-averaged volume mixing ratios of atmospheric carbon dioxide (XCO2) in four fire affected continental regions were analyzed. The results showed that Northern Africa (NA) had the largest seasonal variations after removing its regional trend of XCO2 with peak-to-peak amplitude of 6.2 ppm within the year, higher than central South America (CSA) (2.4 ppm), Southern Africa (SA) (3.8 ppm), and Australia (1.7 ppm). The detrended regional XCO2 ( $\triangle $ XCO2) was found to be positively correlated with the fire CO2 emissions during the fire activity period but with different seasonal variabilities. NA recorded the largest change of seasonal variations of $\triangle $ XCO2 with a total of 12.8 ppm during fire seasons, higher than CSA, SA, and Australia with 5.4, 6.7, and 2.2 ppm, respectively. During the fire episode, the positive $\triangle $ XCO2 was noticed during June–November in CSA, December to next June in NA, and May–November in SA. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the variations of $\triangle $ XCO2 and fire CO2 emissions achieved the best correlations in SA ( $R = 0.77$ and $p ). This letter revealed that fire CO2 emissions and GOSAT XCO2 presented consistent seasonal variations.

Background Few studies have assessed associations of non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC) in the overall diet with all-cause or specific mortality, and their results have been inconsistent. Objectives The present study investigated the association between dietary NEAC and all-cause or cause-specific mortality. Methods The study was a large-scale population-based prospective cohort study in Japan consisting of 42,520 men and 50,207 women aged 44-76 y, who had no history of cancer, stroke, ischemic heart disease, or chronic liver disease. We evaluated FFQ-based dietary NEAC with use of published databases in which the NEACs of individual foods were analyzed by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. Dietary NEAC was calculated by multiplying the estimated NEAC with the consumed amount and summing up those values for all foods, and was categorized in quartiles. We identified death and cause of death with use of residential registry and death certificates. HRs and 95% Cls for death from the second survey, which was conducted from April 1995 to December 2014 were estimated with Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results After 1,498,308 person-years of follow-up, 12,978 total deaths occurred. The multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% Cls) for all-cause mortality for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of FRAP and ORAC were 0.85 (0.80, 0.89) and 0.84 (0.79, 0.89), respectively. Dietary NEACs were inversely associated with mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), but not from cancer. The multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% Cls) for CVD for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of FRAP and ORAC were 0.83 (0.75, 0.92) and 0.79 (0.70, 0.89), respectively. Conclusions Higher dietary NEACs from FRAP and ORAC were associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality and mortality from CVD in Japanese adults.

Purpose Lung transplantation (LTx) is an effective treatment for patients with end-stage pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). However, native lung-related complications, such as chylothorax, chylous sputum, and native lung hyperinflation, can develop after a single LTx. LAM lesion recurrence in transplanted lungs and abdominal LAM lesions may also occur post-LTx. Further, while sirolimus therapy can be used to treat these complications, its efficacy and tolerability in patients with LAM after LTx remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sirolimus on post-LTx LAM complications. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of LTx recipients who received sirolimus for treating post-LTx LAM complications from March 2000 to December 2019. Results Of the 40 patients who underwent LTx for LAM treatment, eight underwent sirolimus treatment for post-LTx LAM complications. Two patients exhibited chylous sputum; two, chylous ascites; one, chylothorax; one, native lung hyperinflation; one, LAM recurrence in the transplanted lung; and one, angiomyolipoma. Patients’ immunosuppressive regimen consisting of tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and steroids was not changed, but the target trough level of TAC was reduced with the baseline levels of TAC and sirolimus being 5 ng/mL each. Sirolimus was discontinued for one patient because nausea occurred soon after the first dose. LAM lesions improved or were suppressed in six patients (Figure 1). The forced expiratory volume at 1 s post-sirolimus administration was stable (Figure 2). Acute rejection and infection were not observed, but one patient underwent a second LTx on the contralateral side due to chronic lung allograft dysfunction. Conclusion Providing sirolimus immunosuppressive therapy after LTx for LAM treatment can be effective in managing post-LTx LAM complications and may be acceptable when combined with TAC, MMF, and steroids.

Leaf optical properties (reflectance and transmittance spectra of a single leaf) are the key to interpreting remote sensing data regarding the structure and functions of vegetation canopies. These properties are determined by leaf biochemical and anatomical traits, which change seasonally in deciduous species. To reveal the species-specific seasonal patterns in leaf optical properties and their relationship to chlorophyll content and/or mesophyll structure in deciduous trees, we examined these mechanistic relationships in a pioneer species, Betula ermanii, and in sunlit and shade leaves of a late-successional species, Quercus crispula, during their seasonal development. Leaf optical properties were measured from leaf emergence to leaf fall in four years. After leaf unfolding, reflectance in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) region decreased gradually, while transmittance dropped rapidly. Both reflectance and transmittance increased before leaf fall. In the near-infrared (NIR) region, reflectance increased and transmittance decreased during the development period. Values of parameter N (the number of compact layers within a leaf in PROSPECT-5 model) in young leaves was very low (1.1 for B. ermanii and 1.0 for sunlit and shade leaves of Q. crispula) but increased rapidly by 30% for B. ermanii and sunlit leaves of Q. crispula and by 20% for shade leaves. N was higher in the order of B. ermanii > Q. crispula sun leaves > shade leaves. The PROSPECT-5 simulation with our measured data showed that the development of mesophyll tissue increases reflectance and decreases transmittance in both NIR and PAR regions, and an increase in chlorophyll decreases both reflectance and transmittance in PAR region. Our results indicate that structural and biochemical development of leaf mesophyll and its interspecific variations are essential biological characteristics for understanding seasonal changes in canopy reflectance. The results of this study will help us to better analyze remotely sensed data.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing second-look surgery following Hartmann's procedure for obstructive left-sided colorectal cancer (LSCC). All patients included in the present study had undergone radical surgery with Hartmann's procedure for obstructive LSCC. Adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended for all patients, and patients with no signs of recurrence following six months of surveillance were planned to undergo second-look surgery. The aim of second-look surgery was early detection of local recurrence and determination of the efficacy of laparoscopic Hartmann procedure reversal. A total of 15 patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer were included in the study. Three patients exhibited peritoneal dissemination at the time of laparoscopic Hartmann procedure reversal and underwent partial peritonectomy. Following adjuvant chemotherapy treatment, laparoscopic Hartmann procedure reversal was performed in all patients. However, two patients underwent colo-anal anastomosis, and two patients underwent right-sided colon or ileum reconstruction. Regarding the oncological outcomes, two of three patients in whom peritoneal dissemination was identified during laparoscopic Hartmann procedure reversal were eventually in remission following the initial surgery and the second-look surgery with partial peritonectomy. Favorable long-term outcomes were observed in 12/15 patients due to no recurrence, which may be due to the surgical techniques used and the timing of the second-look surgery following Hartmann's procedure for the treatment of obstructive LSCC.

This paper assesses future changes in the carbon budgets of northern terrestrial ecosystems (above 60°N) using data from the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP). By analyzing simulations from seven biome models driven by five climate scenarios under two representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5), the range of responses and their uncertainty in the 21st century was evaluated. The biome models consistently simulated a gradual increase in vegetation productivity driven by an elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and a longer growing period. By the 2090s, most simulations showed average net carbon uptake into the northern terrestrial ecosystems of +27 Pg C for RCP2.6 and +48 Pg C for RCP8.5. These estimates showed a wide range of variability among simulations, especially for soil carbon stocks. Even under low greenhouse gas concentrations (RCP2.6), most simulations indicated that vegetation productivity and biomass would change by more than 10%, implying that it will be difficult to completely prevent climatic impacts in northern regions. Simulated spatial patterns and seasonality in the carbon budget can be used to identify sensitive areas and seasons, allowing for improved monitoring. Further research combining observations and modeling will be required to reduce estimation uncertainty and devise ecosystem management options.

This study assesses the potential impacts of future global warming on the carbon budget of terrestrial ecosystems across monsoon Asia using the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP) dataset. We used simulation results of two emission pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5), climate projections of five climate models, and seven terrestrial biome models to analyze the changes in net primary production and carbon stocks in the South, Southeast, and East Asian subregions during the period 1981–2099. The simulations indicated that by the end of the 21st century, net primary production would increase by 9–45 % and ecosystem carbon storage would increase by 42–86 Pg C. The clearest climatic impacts were found when using the adaptation-oriented emission scenario (RCP8.5), which assumes a greater CO2 increase and a larger change in climatic conditions. Substantial disparities in temporal trajectories and spatial patterns were found in the estimated changes, owing to the uncertainties in the emission scenarios, climate projections, and ecosystem models. We attempted to derive consistent patterns throughout the simulations to specify potential hotspots of climatic impacts (e.g., soil carbon change in the southern Tibetan Plateau). Finally, we discuss changes to the climatic characteristics in the study region (e.g., a change in the rainy season), the implications for ecosystem services, and the need for collaborative field monitoring studies.

Aims Coping strategies may be significantly associated with health outcomes. This is the first study to investigate the association between baseline coping strategies and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality in a general population cohort. Methods and results The Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study asked questions on coping in its third follow-up survey (2000–04). Analyses on CVD incidence and mortality included 57 017 subjects aged 50–79 without a history of CVD and who provided complete answers on approach- and avoidance-oriented coping behaviours and strategies. Cox regression models, adjusted for confounders, were used to determine hazard ratios (HRs) according to coping style. Mean follow-up time was 7.9 years for incidence and 8.0 years for mortality. The premorbid use of an approach-oriented coping strategy was inversely associated with incidence of stroke (HR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73–1.00) and CVD mortality (HR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.55–0.99). Stroke subtype analyses revealed an inverse association between the approach-oriented coping strategy and incidence of ischaemic stroke (HR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.98) and a positive association between the combined coping strategy and incidence of intra-parenchymal haemorrhage (HR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.01–4.10). Utilizing an avoidance coping strategy was associated with increased mortality from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) only in hypertensive individuals (HR = 3.46; 95% CI, 1.07–11.18). The coping behaviours fantasizing and positive reappraisal were associated with increased risk of CVD incidence (HR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03–1.50) and reduced risk of IHD mortality (HR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40–0.99), respectively. Conclusion An approach-oriented coping strategy, i.e. proactively dealing with sources of stress, may be associated with significantly reduced stroke incidence and CVD mortality in a Japanese population-based cohort.

We found a new phenomenon that shows a large change in leakage current through BaTiO 3 (BTO) film with the maximum ratio of 107 to 109 observed in this work by changing cumulative cycle of voltage scan applied on the film capacitor. These leakage phenomena are thought to depend on several factors such as BTO film thickness, concentration of $V_{0}^{+}$ , bias voltage, its sweep rate and so on, because trapping/detrapping of carrier electron into/from oxygen vacancy would be a competition dependent on their rates and concentrations. These results imply that the leakage current can be controlled by some sequences or protocols of applied voltage scan, leading to use for ReRAM or neuromorphic applications.

Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) and its successor, GOSAT-2, are Japanese earth observation satellites for greenhouse gas measurement from space using Fourier transform spectrometers. Instrument specifications, together with GOSAT achievements and GOSAT-2 expectations, will be introduced.

We present a simple model to assess the quantum yield of photochemistry (Φ

Introduction The aim of this study was to compare the short- and long-term outcomes between short-course radiotherapy with delayed surgery (SRT-delay) and a standard conventional chemoradiotherapy (CRT) regimen. Methods Two collaborating institutions adopted different regimens; the SRT-delay regimen was selected by Meiwa Hospital and the CRT regimen was selected by Hyogo College of Medicine. The inclusion criteria were T3 middle and low rectal cancer patients treated with radical surgery after preoperative therapy. The median follow-up period was 44 months (range, 12–85). Results From 2007 to 2013, 104 patients were treated using the SRT-delay regimen and 61 patients were treated using the CRT regimen. The pretreatment characteristics of the 2 groups were not significantly different. The sphincter-preserving rate (93.3%, 85.2%), T downstaging (37.5%, 37.7%), ypN(−) (74.0%, 67.2%), postoperative complications and the bowel, and urinary and sexual functioning of the SRT-delay regimen were noninferior to those of the CRT regimen. The 3-year local recurrence-free survival, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival in the SRT-delay and CRT groups were 90.6% and 90.6% ( P = .764), 83.8% and 78.3% ( P = .687) and 96.0% and 92.8% ( P = .833), respectively. Conclusion The SRT-delay regimen was noninferior in terms of the downstaging effect, and oncologic and functional outcomes compared with the CRT regimen for T3 middle and low rectal cancer.

We studied interannual variations in single-leaf phenology, i.e., temporal changes in leaf ecophysiological parameters that are responsible for forest canopy function, in a cool-temperate deciduous broadleaf forest at Takayama, central Japan. We conducted long-term in situ research from 2003 to 2010 (excluding 2008). We measured leaf mass per unit area (LMA), leaf chlorophyll and nitrogen contents, and leaf photosynthetic and respiratory characteristics [dark respiration, light-saturated photosynthetic rate (A max), maximum carboxylation rate (V cmax), and electron transport rate (J max)] of leaves of mature canopy trees of Betula ermanii Cham. and Quercus crispula Blume, from leaf expansion to senescence. All leaf characteristics changed markedly from leaf expansion (late May) through senescence (mid–late October). The photosynthetic capacity of B. ermanii leaves rapidly increased during leaf expansion and decreased during senescence, while that of Q. crispula leaves changed gradually. The relationships among LMA, photosynthetic capacity, and nitrogen content changed throughout the season. The timings (calendar dates) of leaf expansion, maturity, and senescence differed among the 7 years, indicating that interannual variations in micrometeorological conditions strongly affected leaf phenological events. We examined the seasonal changes as a function of the date or cumulative air temperatures. From leaf expansion to maturity, the increases in chlorophyll content, A max, V cmax, J max, and LMA were explained well by the growing-degree days, and their decreases in autumn were explained well by chilling-degree days. Our findings will be useful for predicting the effects of current variations in climatic conditions and future climate change on forest canopy structure and function.

Background and aims Higher intake of fish or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, it is unclear whether increased blood levels of n-3 PUFAs are associated with reduced risk of CHD in the Japanese population. Methods The relationship between circulating levels of n-3 PUFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid + docosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid) and risk of CHD was examined in a nested case-control study among participants in the Japan Public Health Center (JPHC)-based Study Cohort. Plasma n-3 PUFA phospholipid levels were measured at baseline by gas chromatography in 209 cases with CHD and 418 controls matched for sex, age, date of blood draw, time elapsed since last meal before blood collection, and study location. The CHD cases (n = 209) comprised 168 cases of myocardial infarction and 41 of sudden cardiac death, otherwise classified as 157 non-fatal and 52 fatal coronary events, respectively. Mean duration of follow-up was 13.5 years. Results Multivariate conditional logistic analysis showed no significant association between n-3 PUFAs and risk of total CHD. The odds ratio (OR) for the highest versus lowest quartiles of plasma n-3 PUFAs was 0.79 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.41–1.51, p for trend = 0.51). Subtype analysis of CHD revealed that the multivariate ORs for the highest versus lowest quartiles for n-3 PUFAs were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.43–1.89, p for trend = 0.90) for myocardial infarction, 0.08 (95% CI: 0.01–0.88, p for trend = 0.04) for sudden cardiac death, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.42–1.89, p for trend = 0.97) for nonfatal coronary events, and 0.12 (95% CI: 0.02–0.75, p for trend = 0.03) for fatal coronary events. Conclusions Plasma n-3 PUFA levels were not associated with risk of total CHD but were inversely associated with risks of sudden cardiac death and fatal coronary events among middle-aged Japanese individuals.

The contaminated surfaces of materials are generally covered with a biofilm that consists of microorganisms and extracellular polysaccharides. The Gram stain method, which is used to visualise bacteria, allows biofilms to be semiquantitatively analysed. Although this method can be used to compare the amount of bacteria in a biofilm, we cannot identify kinds of bacteria. In the present study, 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed to measure and determine the bacterial population in biofilms formed on organic nickel coated glass and uncoated glass. The amount of 16S rRNA was markedly higher on organic nickel coated glass than on uncoated glass. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the majority of bacteria on uncoated glass and organic nickel coated glass were Proteobacteria, especially Sphingomonadales and Methylophilales; however, a marked difference was observed in the amount of Sphingomonadales on these glasses.

Seafood/fish intake has been regarded as a protective factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), while smoking is a strong risk factor. To examine whether associations between smoking and risk of CHD are modified by seafood/fish intake, we studied 72,012 Japanese men and women aged 45-74 years who completed 2 food frequency questionnaires, 5 years apart, during the period 1995-2009. After 878,163 person-years of follow-up, 584 incident cases of CHD (101 fatal and 483 nonfatal), including 516 myocardial infarctions, were documented. There was a clear dose-response association between smoking and CHD risk among subjects with a low seafood/fish intake (

Background: Motor three-wheel drivers provide an important means of transportation in Sri Lanka, comprising 15% of motorized road vehicles. Although three-wheel driving is a widespread occupation for Sri Lankan men, little is known about their general health or risk factors. Objectives: This paper investigates chronic illnesses and risk factors for such illnesses in a sample of 33 three-wheel drivers in Galle, Sri Lanka. Methods: A qualitative investigation was conducted between June and August 2012. 20 three-wheel drivers participated in 60-minute semi-structured interviews, and 13 participated in semi- structured focus groups related to their work-related health concerns. Results: Illness reported included musculoskeletal pain, hypercholesteremia, hypertension, and diabetes. Participants identified work-related stress and substance abuse as risk factors. Conclusions: Participants described a cycle of work related stress, substance use, and chronic illness. Community-based education on the risks of substance use and alternative means of coping may be an effective intervention for these workers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v3i2.7662

Accurate information on the optical properties (reflectance and transmittance spectra) of single leaves is important for an ecophysiological understanding of light use by leaves, radiative transfer models and remote sensing of terrestrial ecosystems. In general, leaf optical properties are measured with an integrating sphere and a spectroradiometer. However, this method is usually difficult to use with grass leaves and conifer needles because they are too narrow to cover the sample port of a typical integrating sphere. Although ways to measure the optical properties of narrow leaves have been suggested, they have problems. We propose a new measurement protocol and calculation algorithms. The protocol does not damage sample leaves and is valid for various types of leaves, including green and senescent. We tested our technique with leaves of Aucuba japonica, an evergreen broadleaved shrub, and compared the spectral data of whole leaves and narrow strips of the leaves. The reflectance and transmittance of the strips matched those of the whole leaves, indicating that our technique can accurately estimate the optical properties of narrow leaves. Tests of conifer needles confirmed the applicability.

Bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplantation is a major cause of postoperative mortality in which T cell-mediated immunity is known to play an important role. However, the exact contribution of natural killer (NK) cells, which have functions similar to CD8+ T cells, has not been defined. Here, we assessed the role of NK cells in murine bronchiolitis obliterans through heterotopic tracheal transplantations and found a greater percentage of NK cells in allografts than in isografts. Depletion of NK cells using an anti-NK1.1 antibody attenuated bronchiolitis obliterans in transplant recipients compared with controls. In terms of NK cell effector functions, an improvement in bronchiolitis obliterans was observed in perforin-KO recipient mice compared to wild type (WT). Furthermore, we found upregulation of NKG2D-ligand in allografts and demonstrated the significance of this using grafts expressing Rae-1, a murine NKG2D-ligand, which induced severe bronchiolitis obliterans in WT and Rag-1 KO recipients. This effect was ameliorated by injection of anti-NKG2D blocking antibody. Together, these results suggest that cytotoxicity resulting from activation of NK cells through NKG2D leads to the development of murine bronchiolitis obliterans.

This thesis explores different viewpoints on the history of community water fluoridation and reflects on the arguments made by the proand anti-fluoridationists in the United States. Community water fluoridation has been controversial in the United States since it was first proposed in 1945. Since then, fluoridation has been a major factor in reducing the prevalence and severity of dental cavities in the United States (U.S.). Fluoride safely and effectively prevents dental cavities and is available from multiple sources. Community water fluoridation is one of these sources, providing fluoride to all people regardless of their position within the community. Even so, community water fluoridation has not been universally implemented despite efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA) to support and promote it. Fluoridation has been declared one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20 century (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). In this study, I will review the literature on the history of community water fluoridation, comprised by scientific studies on its benefits and disadvantages. I will examine how the controversy surrounding this issue began, and how the anti-fluoridationists’ arguments have continued to influence some communities to vote against fluoridation. Finally, I will attempt to draw a conclusion as to why community water fluoridation has not been implemented in all cities, despite its overall health benefits. The Controversy over Community Water Fluoridation 4

Aims Understanding of the ecophysiological dynamics of forest canopy photosynthesis and its spatial and temporal scaling is crucial for revealing ecological response to climate change. Combined observations and analyses of plant ecophysiology and optical remote sensing would enable us to achieve these studies. In order to examine the utility of spectral vegetation indices (VIs) for assessing ecosystem-level photosynthesis, we investigated the relationships between canopy-scale photosynthetic productivity and canopy spectral reflectance over seasons for 5 years in a cool, temperate deciduous broadleaf forest at ‘Takayama’ super site in central Japan. Methods Daily photosynthetic capacity was assessed by in situ canopy leaf area index (LAI), (LAI × Vcmax [single-leaf photosynthetic capacity]), and the daily maximum rate of gross primary production (GPPmax) was estimated by an ecosystem carbon cycle model. We examined five VIs: normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), green–red vegetation index (GRVI), chlorophyll index (CI) and canopy chlorophyll index (CCI), which were obtained by the in situ measurements of canopy spectral reflectance. Important Findings Our in situ observation of leaf and canopy characteristics, which were analyzed by an ecosystem carbon cycling model, revealed that their phenological changes are responsible for seasonal and interannual variations in canopy photosynthesis. Significant correlations were found between the five VIs and canopy photosynthetic capacity over the seasons and years; four of the VIs showed hysteresis-type relationships and only CCI showed rather linear relationship. Among the VIs examined, we applied EVI–GPPmax relationship to EVI data obtained by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer to estimate the temporal and spatial variation in GPPmax over central Japan. Our findings would improve the accuracy of satellite-based estimate of forest photosynthetic productivity in fine spatial and temporal resolutions, which are necessary for detecting any response of terrestrial ecosystem to meteorological fluctuations.

To estimate global gross primary production (GPP), which is an important parameter for studies of vegetation productivity and the carbon cycle, satellite data are useful. In 2014, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to launch the Global Change Observation Mission-Climate (GCOM-C) satellite carrying the second-generation global imager (SGLI). The data obtained will be used to estimate global GPP. The rate of photosynthesis depends on photosynthesis reduction and photosynthetic capacity, which is the maximum photosynthetic velocity at light saturation under adequate environmental conditions. Photosynthesis reduction is influenced by weather conditions, and photosynthetic capacity is influenced by chlorophyll and RuBisCo content. To develop the GPP estimation algorithm, we focus on photosynthetic capacity because chlorophyll content can be detected by optical sensors. We hypothesized that the maximum rate of low-stress GPP (called “GPP capacity”) is mainly dependent on the chlorophyll content that can be detected by a vegetation index (VI). The objective of this study was to select an appropriate VI with which to estimate global GPP capacity with the GCOM-C/SGLI. We analyzed reflectance data to select the VI that has the best linear correlation with chlorophyll content at the leaf scale and with GPP capacity at canopy and satellite scales. At the satellite scale, flux data of seven dominant plant functional types and reflectance data obtained by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were used because SGLI data were not available. The results indicated that the green chlorophyll index, CIgreen(ρNIR/ρgreen-1), had a strong linear correlation with chlorophyll content at the leaf scale (R2 = 0.87, p < 0.001) and with GPP capacity at the canopy (R2 = 0.78, p < 0.001) and satellite scales (R2 = 0.72, p < 0.01). Therefore, CIgreen is a robust and suitable vegetation index for estimating global GPP capacity.

Leaf area index (LAI) is a crucial ecological parameter that represents canopy structure and controls many ecosystem functions and processes, but direct measurement and long-term monitoring of LAI are difficult, especially in forests. An indirect method to estimate the seasonal pattern of LAI in a given forest is to measure the attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by the canopy and then calculate LAI by the Beer–Lambert law. Use of this method requires an estimate of the PAR extinction coefficient (k), a parameter needed to calculate PAR attenuation. However, the determination of k itself requires direct measurement of LAI over seasons. Our goals were to determine (1) the best way to model k values that may vary seasonally in a forest, and (2) the sensitivity of estimates of canopy ecosystem functions to the errors in estimated LAI. We first analyzed the seasonal pattern of the “true” k (k p) under cloudy and sunny conditions in a Japanese deciduous broadleaved forest by using the inve...