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Given inevitable age-related decreases in physical or mental capacity, studies on health-related behaviour (HRB) clustering in older people provide an opportunity to reduce health-care costs and promote healthy ageing. This study explores the clustering of HRBs and transition probabilities of cluster memberships over time, and compares sociodemographic characteristics of these clusters among Chinese and Japanese middle-aged and older adults. Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2015 (N = 19614) and the Japanese Study of Ageing and Retirement (JSTAR) from 2007 to 2011 (N = 7,080), Latent Transition Analysis was applied to investigate the clustering and change in clustering memberships of smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and body mass index. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the sociodemographic characteristics of these longitudinal HRB cluster members. We identified four common clusters in CHARLS and JSTAR: 'smoking', 'overweight or obese', 'healthy lifestyle' and 'current smoking with drinking', and an additional cluster named 'ex-smoking with drinking' in JSTAR. Although HRB cluster members were largely stable in both cohorts, participants in China tended to move towards an unhealthy lifestyle, while participants in Japan did the opposite. We also found that participants who smoked and drank were more likely to be male, younger, less educated and unmarried in both cohorts, but the overweight or obese participants were female, urban and higher income in CHARLS but not JSTAR. Our study not only contributes to the knowledge of longitudinal changes in health-related behavioural clustering patterns in an Asian elderly population, but may also facilitate the design of targeted multi-behavioural interventions to promote healthy lifestyles among older people in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ou Backbone Range in the Tohoku Region of Japan is bounded on its both sides by two major active fault systems: the Western Fault Zone of Kitakami Lowland in the east and the Eastern Fault Zone of Yokote Basin in the west. Although these two systems are primary active fault systems in the region, information on their long-term activity characteristics is still quite limited. Therefore, we analyzed the normalized channel steepness indexes of river valleys trending perpendicular to the range front along both flanks of the Ou Backbone Range. Our results show that the eastern flank has gentler river valleys, whereas rivers along the northwestern flank are steeper. Our field investigation shows that knickpoints in this area are mostly related to local lithologic boundaries or are check dams along the valleys, thus the river systems are likely under steady-state conditions. Hence, the steeper river valleys in northwestern Ou Backbone Range indicate a higher uplift rate of the area. Because both fault systems are primarily dip-slip reverse faults and do not have significant variations in their subsurface geometry, the faster uplift suggests that the northern segment of the Eastern Fault Zone of Yokote Basin has a higher slip rate. This is consistent with results of previous studies, and the fact that the rupture of the 1896 Rikuu earthquake, the only historical surface-rupturing event in this region, was only limited along the northern segment of this fault system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Lithophyllum is a cosmopolitan coralline algal genus with 12 species currently recognized in Japan based on modern morpho‐anatomical taxonomic concepts primarily characterized by having uniporate tetrasporangial and bisporangial conceptacles, the presence of secondary pit‐connections between cells of adjacent filaments and a dimerous thallus construction with a single basal layer of predominantly non‐palisade cells. In the present study, we describe Lithophyllum nagaokaense sp. nov. based on a combination of molecular and morpho‐anatomical data of specimens from the temperate waters of Japan. The new species forms both attached epilithic thalli and free‐living rhodoliths. Phylogenetic analyses of psbA, rbcL and COI markers resolved L. nagaokaense as an independent species. Morpho‐anatomically, L. nagaokaense resembles Lithophyllum johansenii, originally described from Australia, but distinguished from the latter by the absence of enlarged angular cells occluding pore canals of tetrasporangial conceptacle chambers. Lithophyllum nagaokaense shared a fruticose morphology with Lithophyllum kaiseri, Lithophyllum kuroshioense, Lithophyllum neo‐okamurae, Lithophyllum okamurae, and Lithophyllum pygmaeum from Japan. Of these, L. nagaokaense is the most similar to L. neo‐okamurae in having attached and free‐living thalli with encrusting and warty to lumpy growth forms bearing knobby protuberances that are dichotomously branched or anastomosing. The new species is distinct from other Japanese fruticose species collectively by five tetrasporangial conceptacle chamber characters and the absence of trichocytes. A taxonomic key for identifying Japanese fruticose species is provided. This is the fifth Lithophyllum species and the third rhodolith‐forming species verified by DNA sequencing to be found in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DIILD) is a severe adverse event leading to morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the adverse event indicators of DIILD and time-to-onset profiles following the daily intake of herbal drugs (Scutellariae radix ["ogon" in Japanese], Bupleuri radix ["saiko" in Japanese], and Pinelliae tuber ["hange" in Japanese]) using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database. DIILD was defined in accordance with the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities. Methods: The Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database contained 830,079 reports published between April 2004 and April 2023. The association between herbal medicines and DILLD was evaluated using the pharmacovigilance index as the reporting odds ratio (ROR), logistic regression models, propensity score-matching techniques, and Weibull shape parameters. Results: The adjusted RORs using multivariate logistic regression models for Scutellariae radix (daily intake), Pinelliae tuber (daily intake), sex (male), age (≥ 60 years), Scutellariae radix (daily intake)*age (≥ 60 years), and Scutellariae radix (daily intake)* Pinelliae tuber (daily intake) were 1.47 (1.36 − 1.59), 1.05 (1.01 − 1.10), 1.45 (1.34 − 1.57), 1.92 (1.74 − 2.11), 3.35 (3.12 − 3.60), and 1.49 (1.46 − 1.53), respectively. DIILD onset profiles were evaluated using the Weibull shape parameter. A logistic plot of daily intake and onset of DIILD was drawn. ROR signals were detected in 32 of 54 herbal medicines, including Scutellariae radix, Bupleuri radix, and Pinelliae tuber. The median duration (days) (interquartile range) to DIILD onset was 36.0 (27.0–63.0) for Saikokaryukotsuboreito, 35.0 (21.0–55.0) for Saireito, and 31.0 (13.5–67.5) for Shosaikoto. The Weibull shape parameter beta (95% confidence interval) values for Saikokaryukotsuboreito, Saireito, and Shosaikoto were 1.36 (1.08–1.67), 1.36 (1.20–1.52), and 1.31 (0.98–1.68), respectively. Conclusions: DIILD demonstrated a dose-dependent to crude drugs. Clinicians should strive for the early detection of DIILD and avoid the inadvertent administration of herbal medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the design of high‐power microwave (HPM) waveguide array of longitudinal shunt slots, the mutual coupling of slots in different waveguide can badly decrease the capability of wide‐angle scanning of array. An L‐band HPM waveguide array of longitudinal shunt slots is designed. The choke groove was designed to restrain the mutual coupling of slots of the HPM array antenna. The result of simulation verified that the scanning angle with the gain of antenna decreased of 3 dB of array without choke groove structure is only 25°, and that is 35.0° with choke groove structure. The wideband of active reflection of array can be improved by the choke groove structure. The result of experiment also verified that the slot array antenna provided 30° beam steering with a gain reduction of 1.8 dBi and the power‐handling capacity of the array with the choke groove is greater than 1.5 GW with width of pulse of 42 ns. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of global warming, extreme precipitation events have become more frequent. In complex terrain regions, due to the vulnerability of their ecosystems, extreme precipitation events can lead to significant secondary disasters. Utilizing daily rainfall data from the National Meteorological Information Center of China and statistical analysis, this study explores the spatial and temporal distribution of extreme precipitation in the Central Southwest China (CSC) region. The temporal pattern of extreme precipitation in CSC shows a consistent trend, while the spatial distribution reveals an opposite phase between the northern and southern parts of CSC. Based on this, we propose a new method for constructing extreme precipitation prediction models for complex terrain regions based on physical mechanisms, and take CSC area as a study case. Instead of anonymous feature selection, this method improves the accuracy and stability of the model by studying the impact of sea–air interactions on extreme precipitation and then introducing it into deep learning. It was found that the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly in the South Indian Ocean affects extreme precipitation in the CSC by influencing uplift, atmospheric instability, and moisture. The SST anomaly also affects the intensity of cross-equatorial airflow, which changes the trajectory of the Pacific–Japan teleconnection wave and impacts extreme precipitation. These findings provide a comprehensive and reliable approach for forecasting extreme precipitation in CSC and are further integrated into the extreme precipitation prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have offered multiple explanations for the causality of color preference but no consensus has been reached. In this study, we propose an alternative explanation that the memory colors of familiar objects, especially food colors of humans can induce color preferences. We conducted two experiments. In Experiment 1, the memory color experiment, we asked participants to rate the similarity between presented color samples and memory colors of five familiar fruits and vegetables in Japan; we then calculated the location of the colors in the CIELAB color space that looked most similar to the remembered objects using the bivariate Gaussian function. In Experiment 2, the color preference experiment, color variations were created based on the memory colors obtained from Experiment 1. A different group of participants rated their preference for each color variation, then we applied regression analysis to these ratings. We observed two types of regressions between preference ratings and distance to memory colors: (1) for colors from red to green that represent the food colors for primates, color preference increased when the color was closer to the memory colors of the fruits and vegetables found in Experiment 1; and (2) for blue and purple colors, colors were preferred when they became bluer. We suggest that the evolutionarily acquired mechanism of color preference derives crucial cues from our ecological environment. Therefore, the mechanism produces the same color preference trend among people who grow up in similar environments, for example, environments containing the same fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel differential dual‐rotor contra‐rotating axial‐flux PM (DDC‐AFPM) motor with equidirectional toroidal winding (EDTW) applied to electric propulsion of ships is proposed. Different from the conventional AFPM motor with contra‐rotating rotors (CR), the rotors of the proposed motor on both sides of the stator rotate oppositely at different speeds. The structure of the proposed motor is introduced and the operation principle is clarified. Initial parameters of the proposed motor are given, and the correctness of the simulation results is indirectly verified through the prototype of the AFPM motor with dual‐rotor and EDTW. In order to further improve the electromagnetic performance of the proposed motor, parameters of the motor are preliminarily improved. Finally, the electromagnetic characteristics including armature field, no‐load and on‐load characteristics of the proposed motor are analyzed based on three‐dimensional finite element method (3D‐FEM). The simulation results show that the proposed motor has good electromagnetic characteristics and is suitable for ship propulsion. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Distal symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) is a common neurologic complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the underlying mechanisms and changes in serum metabolites remain largely undefined. This study aimed to characterize the plasma metabolite profiles of participants with T2DM using targeted metabolomics analysis and identify potential biomarkers for DSPN. Methods: A combined liquid chromatography MS/MS and direct flow injection were used to quantify plasma metabolite obtained from 63 participants with T2DM, 81 with DSPN, and 33 nondiabetic control participants. A total of 130 metabolites, including amino acids, biogenic amines, sphingomyelins (SM), phosphatidylcholines, carnitines, and hexose, were analyzed. Results: A total of 16 plasma metabolites and 3 cholesterol‐related laboratory parameters were found to have variable importance in the projection score >1.0 and false discovery rate <5.0% between control, T2DM, and DSPN. Among these variables, five serum metabolites, including phenylalanine (AUC = 0.653), alanine (AUC = 0.630), lysine (AUC = 0.622) tryptophan (AUC = 0.620), and SM C16:0 (AUC = 0.630), are potential biomarkers (all p <.05) in distinguishing T2DM with DSPN from those without (AUC = 0.720). Conclusions: In this cross‐sectional study, derangement of several metabolites in the plasma was observed in T2DM with and without DSPN, and these metabolites may be potential biomarkers for predicting DSPN. Longitudinal studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great importance to build an accurate model for the multi‐step forecasting of household power consumption. In recent years, more and more researchers have focused on adopting hybrid models to execute forecasting due to the irregularity and nonlinearity of power data. However, existing forecasting models usually make predictions directly on original data. This paper introduces secondary decomposition algorithm used to decompose primal data. We use singular spectrum analysis (SSA) to decompose the original series into several subseries, utilize variational mode decomposition (VMD) optimized by whale optimization algorithm to decompose the subseries with the highest frequency into several intrinsic mode functions. Then all subseries obtained from SSA and VMD are fed into long short‐term memory model to get predictions. In order to confirm the validity of proposed model, this paper performs several experimental analyses. The results of experiments show that the proposed model effectively improves the accuracy of forecasting. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous epidemiological studies have reported controversial results on the relationship between smoking and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, we sought to assess the association using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: We used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with smoking quantity (cigarettes per day, CPD) from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of Japanese population as instrumental variables, then we performed two-sample MR analysis to investigate the association between smoking and AD in a Chinese cohort (1,000 AD cases and 500 controls) and a Japanese cohort (3,962 AD cases and 4,074 controls), respectively. Results: Genetically higher smoking quantity showed no statistical causal association with AD risk (the inverse variance weighted (IVW) estimate in the Chinese cohort: odds ratio (OR) = 0.510, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.149-1.744, p = 0.284; IVW estimate in the Japanese cohort: OR = 1.170, 95% confidence interval CI = 0.790-1.734, p = 0.434). Conclusion: This MR study, for the first time in Chinese and Japanese populations, found no significant association between smoking and AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the role of art in facilitating intercultural communication through a project in which undergraduate students from the United States and Japan co-created a digital collage of shared living spaces. Through the creation of personal dioramas and a collaborative collage, students shared personal stories and objects that were meaningful to their identity formation. Our research found that incorporating personal memories and cultural objects into art-making was an effective way of evoking a sense of insideness with a place and bridging cultural differences. The collage was a learning space where students negotiated differences and worked together to create a more inclusive place through vicarious insideness. This study highlights the potential for using art to facilitate intercultural communication and engage a sense of insideness in unfamiliar places among individuals from different cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines Japan's (1980s-90s) and China's (2000s-10s) overseas infrastructure promotion campaigns. We explain how developmentalism, i.e. the state's active engagement in economic development, has given rise to these two go-global campaigns, as the governments of both countries sought to expand industrial policy outward to compensate for domestic political economic problems. We explain how Japan, the go-global forerunner, influenced China, the go-global latecomer, and how China has formulated its own campaign strategies based on its distinct institutional and ideational settings as well as lessons derived from Japan's past policy practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessment of lightning protection performance of extra high voltage transmission lines is important for transmission line design and different lightning protection. Based on the electro‐geometrical model, this paper introduces the angle influence factor, and presents an algorithm for shielding failure trip‐out rate of angle tower, and the existing algorithm is expanded. By establishing the three‐dimensional geometric model of the angle tower, the electrical geometric relations of conductors and ground wires on both sides are analyzed, respectively, and the projection area algorithm for shielding failure is modified. To further verify the application value of the calculation algorithm, the change of the shielding failure trip‐out rate of the typical angle tower with the bending angle of transmission line and the tower height in a 500 kV transmission line is analyzed. The analysis results show that the trip‐out rate of the outside corner is higher than that of the inside one, and with the increase of the angle and the height of the tower, the trip‐out rate shows an upward trend. When the tension tower height is 71.5 m and the angle increases from 0° to 80°, the outside shielding failure trip‐out rate increased by 10.9% and the inside decreased by 9.3%. Compared with the classical electro‐geometrical model calculation, the difference of trip‐out rate is 4.3% when the bending angle is 80°. When the tangent tower height is 70 m and the angle increases from 0° to 40°, the shielding failure trip‐out rate on the outside increased by 5.9% while the inside decreased by 6.2%. The research results provide a simple algorithm for solving bending transmission line and give some reference for lightning protection design of EHV transmission lines. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water inrush hazard seriously threatens construction safety of subsea tunnels in unfavorable geological areas. In recent years, a large number of subsea tunnels have been built worldwide, some of which have experienced many water inrush disasters, especially in Japan and Norway. In this paper, a systematic methodology is proposed to rigorously review the current literature about water inrush in subsea tunnels. Emphasis is placed on recorded causes and evolution processes of water inrush, as well as relevant mitigation measures. In particular, the geological conditions that generate such water inrush hazards are initially discussed by counting cases of tunnel water inrush in the past decades (43 cases of water inrush hazards in tunnels (including mountain tunnels)). The process of formation of failure modes of water inrush, and the corresponding research methods (including theoretical, numerical and experimental) are reviewed, and can be used to pave the ways for hazard prevention and future research. This is followed by a summary of the prevention methods and mitigation measures used in practice, and a short discussion of the achievements and limitations of each method. Then combined with the evolution characteristics of the failure area, the water inrush process of different modes is divided into three stages, with a proposed a grouting scheme for each stage. Finally, concluding remarks, current research gaps and future research directions on subsea tunnel water inrush are provided and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past two decades have seen rapid globalization in the development and distribution of pharmaceutical products. There has been an increasing demand to make innovative and life-saving medicines accessible to global populations promptly. However, regional regulatory requirements may slow drug development and approvals. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are among the fastest-growing therapeutics in oncology, immunology, and other disease areas. It has often been observed that, after a new therapeutic mAb is approved in the US and the EU, it takes several additional years before the mAb is approved in Japan. The delay in approval, or the drug approval lag, is primarily due to the delayed submission of new drug applications in Japan, which in turn is the result of regulatory requirements for ethnicity-specific clinical data. These regulatory requirements have been evolving for the last 20 plus years to accelerate new drug development and approval in Japan. This review is intended to examine the trend in drug approval lag for therapeutic mAbs in Japan between 2005 and 2020, review clinical data submissions used to support Japan New Drug Application (JNDA) approvals of mAbs, and discuss the implications of the regulatory environments in Japan in comparison with the US and the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined associations of perceived and objectively measured neighborhood environmental attributes with leisure-time sitting for transport among middle-to-older aged Japanese adults. Method: Data were collected using a postal survey of 998 adults aged 40 to 69 years. Generalized linear modeling with a gamma distribution and a log link was used to examine associations of perceived (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Environmental module) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-derived built environment attributes with self-reported leisure-time sitting for transport. Results: Mean leisure-time sitting time for transport was 20.4 min/day. After adjusting for potential confounders, perceived higher residential density, GIS-measured higher population density, better access to destinations, better access to public transport, longer sidewalk length, and higher street connectivity, were associated significantly with lower sitting time for transport. Conclusion: Residents living in neighborhoods with attributes previously found to be associated with more walking tended to spend less time sitting for transport during leisure-time. The health benefits of walkability-related attributes may accrue not only through increased physical activity, but also through less sedentary time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace settings—both internal and external—can influence how workers are physically active or sedentary. Although research has identified some indoor environmental attributes associated with sitting at work, few studies have examined associations of workplace neighbourhood built-environment attributes with workplace sitting time. We examined the cross-sectional associations of perceived and objective workplace neighbourhood built-environment attributes with sitting time at work and for transport among desk-based workers in Japan. Data were collected from a nationwide online survey. The Abbreviated Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (n = 2137) and Walk Score® (for a subsample of participants; n = 1163) were used to assess perceived and objective built-environment attributes of workplace neighbourhoods. Self-reported daily average sitting time at work, in cars and in public transport was measured using a Japanese validated questionnaire. Linear regression models estimated the associations of workplace neighbourhood built-environment attributes with sitting time. All perceived workplace neighbourhood built-environment attributes were positively correlated with Walk Score®. However, statistically significant associations with Walk Score® were found for sitting for transport but not for sitting at work. Workers who perceived their workplace neighbourhoods to be more walkable reported a longer time sitting at work and in public transport but a shorter sitting time in cars. Our findings suggest that walkable workplace neighbourhoods may discourage longer car use but have workplaces where workers spend a long time sitting at work. The latter finding further suggests that there may be missed opportunities for desk-based workers to reduce sitting time. Future workplace interventions to reduce sitting time may be developed, taking advantage of the opportunities to take time away from work in workplace neighbourhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Devastating Japan in October 2019, Supertyphoon (STY) Hagibis was an important typhoon in the history of the Pacific. A striking feature of Hagibis was its explosive rapid intensification (RI). In 24 h, Hagibis intensified by 100 knots (kt; 1 kt ≈ 0.51 m s−1), making it one of the fastest-intensifying typhoons ever observed. After RI, Hagibis's intensification stalled. Using the current typhoon intensity record holder, i.e., STY Haiyan (2013), as a benchmark, this work explores the intensity evolution differences of these two high-impact STYs. We found that the extremely high prestorm sea surface temperature reaching 30.5°C, deep/warm prestorm ocean heat content reaching 160 kJ cm−2, fast forward storm motion of ∼8 m s−1, small during-storm ocean cooling effect of ∼0.5°C, significant thunderstorm activity at its center, and rapid eyewall contraction were all important contributors to Hagibis's impressive intensification. There was 36% more air–sea flux for Hagibis's RI than for Haiyan's. After its spectacular RI, Hagibis's intensification stopped, despite favorable environments. Haiyan, by contrast, continued to intensify, reaching its record-breaking intensity of 170 kt. A key finding here is the multiple pathways that storm size affected the intensity evolution for both typhoons. After RI, Hagibis experienced a major size expansion, becoming the largest typhoon on record in the Pacific. This size enlargement, combined with a reduction in storm translational speed, induced stronger ocean cooling that reduced ocean flux and hindered intensification. The large storm size also contributed to slower eyewall replacement cycles (ERCs), which prolonged the negative impact of the ERC on intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Haemaphysalis longicornis is the most important tick species in Japan and has a wide range of vector capacity. Due to its veterinary and medical importance, this tick species has been used as a model for tick/vector biological studies. To identify the key molecules associated with physiological processes during blood feeding and embryogenesis, full-length cDNA libraries were constructed using the fat body, hemocytes-containing hemolymph, midgut, ovary and salivary glands of fed females and embryos of the laboratory colony of parthenogenetic H. longicornis. The sequences of cDNA from the salivary glands had been already released. However, the related information is still poor, and the other expressed sequence tags have not yet been deposited. Data description: A total of 39,113 expressed sequence tags were obtained and deposited at the DNA DataBank of Japan. There were 7745 sequences from embryos, 7385 from the fat body, 8303 from the hemolymph including hemocytes, 7385 from the midgut, and 8295 from the ovary. The data, including expressed sequence tags from the salivary glands was summarized into Microsoft Excel files. Sharing this data resource with the tick research community will be valuable for the identification of novel genes and advance the progress of tick research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IFNL3/IFNL4 polymorphisms are inversely associated with the risk of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cirrhosis, two major risk factors for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To further explore these inverse associations and their molecular underpinnings, we analyzed IFNL3/IFNL4 polymorphisms represented by the IFNL4 genotype (presence of rs368234815-dG or rs12979860-T alleles) in HCV patients: 2969 from Japan and 2931 from Taiwan. IFNL4 genotype was associated with an increased risk of HCV-related HCC (OR=1.28, 95%CI=1.07-1.52, P=0.0058) in the general population of Japanese patients, but not in Taiwanese patients who achieved treatment-induced viral clearance. IFNL4 genotype was also associated with a decreased risk of cirrhosis (OR=0.66, 95%CI=0.46-0.93, P=0.018, in Taiwanese patients). We then engineered HepG2 cells to inducibly express IFN-λ4 in the presence or absence of interferon lambda receptor 1 (IFNLR1). Induction of IFN-λ4 resulted in its intracellular accumulation, mainly in lysosomes and late endosomes, and increased ER stress, leading to apoptosis and reduced proliferation. We identified the very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), which facilitates HCV entry into hepatocytes, as a transcript induced by IFN-λ4 but not IFN-λ3. Our results suggest that the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cirrhotic but pro-HCV associations observed for IFNL3/IFNL4 polymorphisms are, at least in part, contributed by intracellular accumulation of IFN-λ4 causing ER stress in hepatic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y‐capacitors are widely used in flyback converters to suppress common‐mode (CM) noise to comply with the strict electromagnetic interference (EMI) standards. However, Y‐capacitors increase the leakage current between the primary and secondary side, which is not allowed in the applications with high safety requirements. In this paper, the displacement current models of two conventional De‐Y methods are quantitatively established to analyze their limitations for the flyback converter. Then, a hybrid EMI‐optimized transformer is proposed to improve the limitations. The proposed structure can completely balance the CM noise between the primary and secondary sides, making the flyback converter comply with the EMI standard under the conditions of no Y‐capacitor. Compared with the traditional methods, the proposed method has a better capability for CM noise suppression, higher universality and the same cost. Finally, the simulation and experimental results verify that the CM noise of the new transformer structure decreases about 10 dB compared with that of the conventional one. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global, randomized, open-label KEYNOTE-183 phase 3 study was closed early after an interim analysis showed unfavorable risk-benefit when pembrolizumab was added to pomalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM). This subgroup analysis reported outcomes in 27 Japanese patients randomly assigned to receive pembrolizumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (n = 15) or pomalidomide and dexamethasone alone (n = 12). Co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). After a median (range) follow-up of 9.6 (1.4-15.3) months in Japanese patients, median PFS [6.5 vs 2.8 months; hazard ratio (HR) 0.16 (95% CI 0.03-0.83)] and OS [not reached vs 14.8 months; HR 0.46 (95% CI 0.05-4.20)] seemed to favor the pembrolizumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone arm. Objective response rate was numerically higher in this group (47%) than in the pomalidomide and dexamethasone group (25%). The safety profile was consistent with that of the overall study population. No deaths were attributed to a study drug by the investigators. Although adding pembrolizumab to pomalidomide and dexamethasone did not show unfavorable risk-benefit in the Japanese subgroup of KEYNOTE-183, the analysis is limited by short follow-up and small sample size, which affects the generalizability of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of unnecessary waste of power resources in the power system caused by the uncertainty of wind farm output, and then affecting the economics of the system. This paper proposes a power system scheduling model based on wind power output forecasting errors. In the forecasting stage, in view of the defect that the Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm (FOA) is easy to fall into the local optimal value, an Adaptive Mutation Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm (AMFOA) based on the flavor concentration variance is proposed. And then, the parameters of Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) are optimized by AMFOA to predict the wind power output. In the scheduling phase, a limit scenario is established based on the obtained prediction error to reduce the fluctuation of the wind farm output. When modeling, the influence of the prediction error is considered in the power balance equation, and it is constructed to maximize the probability of its establishment. And then, incorporate it into the objective function. Based on this, a scheduling model is established and solved by AMFOA. Finally, an example is used to verify the accuracy of the proposed forecasting model and the economics of the scheduling model. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China and Japan have engaged in fierce competition over infrastructure lending in East Asia, particularly since the 2010s. Under the intense focus on the geopolitical roots of this competition, the political-economic effects of this competitive statecraft on the smaller Asian countries are less discussed. At first glance, lending competition seems to benefit borrowing countries through access to more financial resources. This paper argues, however, that competitive statecraft leads to an 'easy money' conundrum where overeager creditor countries, in pursuit of geostrategic goals, perpetuate political opportunism in borrowing countries. To support this claim, we examine China–Japan competition over two high-speed rail projects in Indonesia and Malaysia. Our process tracing analysis explains how push factors (easy money from China and Japan) and pull factors (the host government's desire to exploit easy money for political gain) interacted to advance two troubled projects at the cost of borrowing countries' fiscal discipline and government accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we selected Chinese students (N = 277) studying in Japan as research participants to examine the relation among their attachment, acculturation, and psychosocial adjustment. The study's first finding revealed that Chinese students studying in Japan had a better adjustment outcome than those in America in terms of sociocultural adjustment but not psychological adjustment. The second set of findings from the results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that psychological distress and sociocultural adjustment could be predicted by attachment anxiety and avoidance. Third, we found a positive correlation between acculturation to the host culture and sociocultural adjustment difficulties. Fourth, we did not find a correlation between acculturation to the host culture and attachment anxiety and avoidance. We offer a discussion on the findings and limitations in light of the unique Japanese sociocultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion of steel reinforcement caused by airborne salt penetration into concrete cover is a very important reason for the deterioration of concrete structures exposed to an atmospheric marine environment. The current durability of coastal concrete bridges is an academic and engineering concern worldwide. In this study, three outdoor exposure experiments in the atmospheric marine environments, considering multiple environmental factors, were carried out spanning 4 years to investigate chloride adhesion and diffusion behaviors at the Amatori Bridge of Wakayama Prefecture in Japan. It was found that the distribution of accumulated chlorides on the concrete and steel surfaces is not only time dependent but also space dependent, which is related to the local weather conditions and geography. Note that the annual average wind speed around the bridge site is relatively low (approximately 3 m/s), which is a speed range rarely reported in the existing literature. The relationship between chlorides from airborne salt and chlorides that penetrate into concrete specimens is discussed quantitatively based on a specific tubular collection device (TCD) and the electrometric titration method. It was also observed that chloride deposition increases obviously during typhoons than during periods with no unfavoable weather event. In addition, two groups of mortar specimens were placed under and beside the bridge to explore the influence of seasonal rainfall distribution on the chloride diffusion behaviors in mortar specimens. The research results are expected to determine the priority for the maintenance and management of coastal bridges in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short‐term load forecasting is essential for reliable and economical operation of the power system. Gaussian process regression (GPR), as a novel machine learning prediction algorithm, has become one of the commonly used algorithms in the field of short‐term load prediction because it can fully consider the nonlinear and uncertain characteristics of short‐term load sequence. However, due to the unreasonable selection of training set and the inaccurate acquisition of hyper parameters, the prediction accuracy of GPR decreases. In order to improve the accuracy of power system load forecasting, a GPR prediction model based on density peak clustering (DPC) and information sharing antlion optimizer (ISALO) is proposed. Firstly, the DPC is used to find similar days from the historical load data to construct a more reasonable training set. Then, the ISALO, an improved ALO by introducing information sharing mechanism, is used to optimize the hyper parameters of the GPR. Experiments show that the DPC‐ISALO‐GPR model has a 3.33 and 1.22% reduction in mean absolute percentage error compared to Back Propagation Neural Network (BP) and support vector machines, which is suitable for engineering practical applications. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to the problem of large computation amount and high redundancy of traditional S‐transform methods available in the detection and classification of transient power quality disturbances, an efficient and accurate method for the detection and classification is proposed. First, the maximum power spectrum dynamics method is used to extract the main frequency points. Then, a called modified incomplete S‐transform proposed in the paper is performed on the main frequency points so as to obtain a modulus time‐frequency matrix involving the characteristic information of disturbances. The modified incomplete S‐transform is implemented by introducing a bi‐Gaussian window function with two parameters to replace the Gaussian window function of the traditional S‐transform. And then, the characteristic quantities for detecting power quality disturbance and identifying the classification of the disturbances are extracted based on the matrix. Finally, the disturbance parameters such as the amplitude, start time, and stop time of the disturbances are calculated based on the relevant theories and rules, and also the classification of the disturbances is identified by extracting some important characteristic quantities. A great number of simulation experiments are conducted. The results obtained show that by the method, the start time, stop time, and amplitude changes of power quality disturbance signals can be fast and accurately detected, and the classification of the disturbances can be fast and accurately identified, and that the method has the characteristics of less operation time and strong anti‐interference ability. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powerful states often use tools of economic statecraft, such as foreign aid and other financial policy instruments, in a bid to "purchase" influence as well as establish regional leadership among their neighbors. How and why do these states undertake similar economic statecraft strategies and policies? The article examines the evolution of infrastructure financing policy of China and Japan and identifies the ever changing and, yet at the same time, mirroring interaction between the two countries' development finance practices. We argue that emulation and competition have led to the process of policy diffusion between these two countries. The competition between these two foreign aid leaders in East Asia especially after China's Belt and Road Initiative has shaped the region's infrastructure development dynamics as they strive to move the equilibrium outcome to their advantage. Such equilibrium through the policy diffusion process has important implications on global development governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve current balance between parallel‐connected insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) of a DC microgrid hybrid circuit breaker (DC MHCB), it is a simple and effective method to add impedance in parallel‐connected IGBTs, but this will also affect the vacuum arc commutation of the DC MHCB. The focus of this paper is the effects of adding impedance on vacuum arc commutation characteristics. By constructing a simplified model of vacuum arc commutation in the case of adding impedance, the effect of adding impedance on vacuum arc commutation is theoretically derived. The test circuit of vacuum arc commutation is established, and the effect of adding impedance on vacuum arc commutation in the presence or absence of the externally applied transverse magnetic field (TMF) is investigated using the electrical measure. The theoretical formula and related formulas of the effect of adding impedance on the duration of vacuum arc commutation are obtained. A method combining adding impedance and an externally applied TMF is proposed. The constraint formula for adding impedance during vacuum arc commutation is obtained. The main factors that limit the value of adding impedance are obtained. Research on the effect of adding impedance on vacuum arc commutation characteristics can provide theoretical guidance for the application of the method of adding impedance in a DC MHCB. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Package tours encourage the development of destinations by increasing their attractiveness to global visitors. This study examines the benefits of package tour designs that allow tourists to leverage multiple features to create their own destination experiences. It uses conjoint analysis, applied to package tours, to determine the relative importance of package tour attributes as perceived by Taiwanese tourists. The most important attributes that Taiwanese tourists consider when choosing package tours in Japan are 'attraction', followed by 'accommodation', 'length of stay', 'price', 'cuisine', 'transport', and 'season'. By reflecting tourists' preferences for certain attributes, tourism managers can expand their international tourism, improve resource utilization, enhance tourists' experiences, and strengthen destination development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gait is an important factor in the diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. However, except for walking speed tests, existing diagnosis methods only assess gait qualitatively. This study proposes a quantitative and multifaceted method to assess gait disturbance via video‐based analysis. We captured videos of patients walking from the front to assess four gait disturbance qualities: lateral sway, petit‐pas gait, wide‐base gait, and duck‐footed walking. These features were selected from the Gait Status Scale‐Revised, an existing scale of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus gait disturbance. We confirmed that our assessments of all selected items, except for lateral sway, were consistent with physician assessment. We also used the P‐value of the gait disturbance scores before and after lumbar puncture to assess the outcome of the cerebrospinal fluid tap test, and confirmed that tap‐positive and tap‐negative patients were successfully separated by a threshold of P = 0.01. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article presents a single‐phase hybrid active power filter (1pSHAPF) containing a small rated active power filter connected in series with a single‐tuned inductive‐capacitive (LC) passive filter. Single‐phase nonlinear loads are increasing alarmingly in the distribution system. This is because the devices are gaining attraction for applications in information technology, emerging electric vehicle technology, and interfacing for power grids. However, nonlinear loads are common source of harmonics and contribute unpleasant conditions for the power systems. In the proposed control, a single‐phase hybrid active power filter was actively adjusted to form multiple active short circuits for characteristic harmonic. Load harmonic current easily diverted into filter path and harmonic voltages eliminated from the bus due to the active short circuit formed at the bus. The LC passive filter blocked 70% of the maximum fundamental bus voltage. This allows us to use lower DC‐link voltage hence reduces switching loss and investment for inverters. The detailed design procedures and their realization on TMS320F28335 DSP are analyzed and presented using PSIM and MATLAB/Simulink environments. The performances of the proposed controller are evaluated using diode rectifiers with resistance‐capacitance (RC) and resistance‐inductance (RL) loads. The results showed good harmonic voltage damping, current harmonic reduction (from 60.86 to 9.4%), and power factor correction. Therefore, the proposed controller can be taken as a solution to extend the hybrid active power filter (HAPF) tuned into multiple harmonic frequencies. This research has a practical benefit for power quality (PQ) compensation in the case of a single‐phase smart grid. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To quantify variations in health‐related behaviors (HRB) clustering of older adults in Western and Eastern countries. Methods: Using six aging cohorts from the USA, England, Europe, Japan, Korea and China, latent class analysis was applied to access the clustering of smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and social activity. Results: A total of 104 552 participants (55% women) aged ≥50 years in 2010 were included. Despite a different number of clusters identified, three consistent cluster profiles emerged: "Multiple‐HRB" (ex‐/never smoking, moderate drinking, frequent physical and social activity); "Inactives" (socially and physically inactive without other risk behaviors); and "(ex‐)Smokers with Risk Behaviors". Sex and cohort variations were shown. For men in Western cohorts, "Multiple‐HRB" was the predominant cluster, whereas their Asian counterparts were more likely to be members of the "Smokers with risk behavior" and "Inactives" clusters. Most women, particularly those in Asian cohorts, were never smokers and non‐drinkers, and most of them belonged to the socially "Inactives" cluster. Conclusions: We provide a person‐centered understanding of HRB clustering of older adults over selected countries by sex, informing tailored health promotion for the target population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 930–937. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to compare patterns of psychotropic prescription drug use among cognitively impaired residents in long‐term care facilities in East Asia and to explore factors associated with these patterns. Methods: This study included elderly participants with cognitive impairments residing in long‐term care facilities with and without dementia care units in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Mini‐Mental State Examination, the Clinical Dementia Rating, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Nursing Home version were used to assess cognitive status, examine dementia severity, and evaluate behavioural psychological symptoms of dementia, respectively. The rate of psychotropic drug use and the relationship between the number of psychotropic drugs and clinical factors were examined. Results: In total, 662 people were analyzed. Facilities with dementia care units had a higher rate of anti‐dementia drug use than regular elderly care sites. Among the three dementia care sites, a Japanese hospital and a Korean site had a high rate of antipsychotic use and use of other types of psychotropics, whereas these drugs were used at a low rate in a Chinese nursing home. Patterns of psychotropic drug use may be partially associated with local regulations and facility type. Poly‐pharmacy was identified as a common problem at all study sites. Conclusions: Our findings will be beneficial for health‐care professionals and policymakers when developing practice guidelines and strategies to regulate overuse of psychotropics and poly‐pharmacy. Prospective studies are needed to examine patterns of psychotropic prescriptions and to promote evidence‐based practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The current study was an international cross‐sectional study comparing the prevalence of incontinence among cognitively impaired older residents in long‐term care facilities in East Asia, including Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Thailand between 2015 and 2016. Methods: Participants were cognitively impaired older residents in long‐term care facilities. Demographic data were collected. The Clinical Dementia Rating scale was used to assess dementia severity, and the Barthel Index was used as a surrogate measure of incontinence and toilet use dependence. The prevalence of urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence were examined. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to predict incontinence and toilet use dependence. Results: We analyzed data from 662 participants (age 82.6 ± 9.9 years, 57.6% women). The prevalence of urinary incontinence ranged from 10.1% in Taiwan to 71.0% in Korea. The prevalence of fecal incontinence varied from 4.0% in Taiwan to 57.0% in Korea. A higher Clinical Dementia Rating score was a significant predictor of urinary and fecal incontinence and toilet use dependence (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The current survey showed a high prevalence of incontinence in long‐term care residents in East Asia, and identified challenges for future studies. Development of clinical guidelines for incontinence care in cognitively impaired older persons is urgently required. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 444–450. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in cognitively impaired elderly residents of long‐term care facilities in East Asia and to explore the factors associated with these patterns. Methods: This was a cross‐sectional survey of BPSD in cognitively impaired elderly residents of long‐term care facilities in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Mini‐Mental State Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Nursing Home version (NPI‐NH), were used to assess cognitive status, dementia severity, and BPSD, respectively. NPI‐NH subscale severity scores were multiplied by frequency scores to obtain the subscale scores and aggregated into two groups based on score (clinically insignificant = 1– 3; clinically significant ≥4). Results: Data from 662 people were analyzed. Median age, median Mini‐Mental State Examination scores, and median CDR scores differed significantly among the seven study sites. The prevalence of BPSD varied from 64% in Taiwan to 100% in dementia care units in Japan, and the median total NPI‐NH scores ranged from 2 in Taiwan to 14 in dementia care units in Japan. After stratification of the sample by dementia severity and clinical significance of NPI‐NH scores, differences in the prevalence of clinically significant BPSD were mostly observed among facilities dedicated to dementia patients in the CDR 1 group. In the CDR 3 group, the prevalence of some clinically significant BPSD, such as apathy, was high even among study sites with low median total NPI‐NH scores. Conclusions: Our findings may suggest referral and selection biases in the study sites. Future prospective studies are needed to address the impact of environmental and care factors on the occurrence of BPSD in Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Household is an important physical activity resource in older adults' daily life. • Older adults' HPA and SWB had a positive association. • Engaging in HPA is a good approach for increasing old adults' self-rated health. • HPA is recommended for old couples to maintain marital satisfaction. • Older adults living in China and South Korea had higher HPA than others. Engaging in lifelong physical activity has multiple health benefits for older populations. Household physical activity occupies older adults' awake time, and they can be an important energy expenditure during the day. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between older adults' household physical activity and subjective well-being in four East Asian societies. The study design was a secondary data analysis. Data were retrieved from the module of Families 2016 in the database of the East Asian Social Survey. Participants were community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 70.30±7.50 years and who lived in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Data were collected by interviews via structured questionnaires between 2016 and 2018. Descriptive analyses, independent t -tests, and an analysis of covariance were performed for the statistical analyses. In total, there were 3,432 valid responses. Participants who lived in Taiwan had significantly lower levels of total household physical activity than those living in other societies. Older adults' household physical activity was found to significantly differ by age, educational degree, gender, religion, marital status, occupation, and whether living alone. Older adults with high levels of household physical activity had significantly higher self-rated health and marital satisfaction than those with low levels. Household physical activity has potential benefits for subjective well-being across international older adult populations. Increasing household physical activity is recommended for older married couples to maintain marital satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive levetiracetam (LEV) in Chinese and Japanese adults with generalized tonic–clonic (GTC) seizures (N01159; NCT01228747). Methods: This double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, multicenter phase III trial comprised: 4‐week retrospective and 4‐week prospective baseline, 12‐week dose‐adjustment, and 16‐week evaluation periods. Chinese and Japanese patients ≥16 years old with idiopathic generalized, symptomatic generalized, or undetermined epilepsy with GTC seizures received a single‐blind placebo during the prospective baseline, and then were randomized 1:1 to placebo or LEV 1,000 mg/day administered twice daily. Patients reporting GTC seizures up to week 8 had the LEV dosage increased to 3,000 mg/day. The primary efficacy variable was percent reduction from combined baseline in GTC seizures/week during the 28‐week treatment period. Results: Overall, 251 patients were randomized (208 from China; 43 from Japan); 141 (56.2%) completed the 28‐week treatment period. Least‐squares mean percent reduction from combined baseline in GTC seizures/week (treatment period) was placebo 12.6% versus LEV 68.8% (95% confidence interval, 44.0–68.2; p < 0.0001). GTC seizure frequency reduction occurred in both patients with idiopathic and symptomatic generalized epilepsy. The 50% responder rate (treatment period) was placebo 28.4% versus LEV 77.8%. Freedom from GTC seizures (evaluation period) was placebo 3.1% versus LEV 29.6%. Incidence of treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs; treatment period) was placebo 52.0% versus LEV 57.1%; most frequently nasopharyngitis, protein in urine, decreased platelet count, and pyrexia. Incidence of TEAEs leading to discontinuation was 4.8% versus 3.2%; incidence of serious TEAEs was 3.2% versus 0.8% for placebo and LEV, respectively; 3 patients taking placebo died versus none taking LEV. Significance: In this trial, adjunctive LEV 1,000–3,000 mg/day was effective in reducing GTC seizure frequency in Chinese and Japanese patients ≥16 years old with GTC seizures. Seizure reduction occurred in both patients with idiopathic and symptomatic generalized epilepsy. LEV was well tolerated in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have examined how the associations of built environment attributes with walking behaviors may be moderated by socioeconomic status (SES). Such understanding is important to address socioeconomic inequalities in health through urban design initiatives. However, to date, there is no study examining the moderation effects of SES in the relationships of environmental attributes and walking in non-Western countries. The current study aims to examine associations of environmental attributes with walking behaviors among Japanese adults, and to test whether these associations were moderated by area-level SES. Data on walking were collected from Japanese adults using a nationwide Internet survey (N = 4605). Built environment measures including population density, street density, distance to the nearest public open space, and distance to the nearest commercial destination were calculated using geographic information systems software. An index of neighborhood deprivation was used as an area-level indicator of SES. Logistic regression models adjusted for clustering and sociodemographic variables were used. It was found that more residents in high SES areas walked for commuting, for errands, and for exercise compared with those who lived in low SES areas. When the whole sample was examined, all environmental attributes were associated with walking behaviors (except for street density not being associated with walking for exercise). Associations of environmental attributes with walking behaviors were moderated by area-level SES only in walking for exercise. Walking for exercise was associated with higher population density, higher street density (marginally significant), and shorter distance to the nearest commercial destination only in high SES areas. Our findings showed that the associations of these environmental attributes and walking behaviors were largely consistent across different SES levels. Therefore, urban design interventions focusing on low SES areas may help to reduce socioeconomic disparities in walking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice blast is one of the most devastating diseases that threatens rice production in Taiwan. A rice blast forecasting model is required to guide the precise application of fungicide. Therefore, BlastGRU-TW model based on deep learning algorithms was developed in this study. The input data comprised approximately 1000 rice blast surveys, collected from 50 fields throughout Taiwan between 2014 and 2021, and the corresponding weather data retrieved from weather observation network in Taiwan. Common and easily accessible meteorological factors, i.e. temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind, were converted into 20 daily meteorological features which were coupled with different time intervals between 1 and 30 days before survey (DBS) to train the model. The results showed that seven meteorological features (daily maximum temperature, daily mean temperature, daily minimum temperature, daily mean humidity, daily mean WV and daily mean Wu) and the interval from −4 to −24 DBS were informative in disease prediction, thereby indicating that the proposed model could predict the risk of rice blast by using meteorological data 4–24 days before new disease symptoms appeared. The proposed BlastGRU-TW model achieved an accuracy of 87.3%. Furthermore, on adding the 3 day forecast weather data from Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in the proposed model, the forecast extended to 7 days ahead of the appearance of new symptoms. Moreover, the BLASTAM model developed in Japan was implemented and validated in Taiwan to evaluate its applicability in different geographical areas. Finally, a rice blast early warning system (https://mycolab.pp.nchu.edu.tw/blast%5fforecast/index%5fen.php) equipped with an interactive web-based map is now available for real-time forecasting of the risk of rice blast in paddy field across Taiwan. • Input data from 1000 rice blast surveys in Taiwan for 2014–2021. • BlastGRU-TW model for deep learning-based rice blast prediction • The model achieves an accuracy of 87.3% • The BLASTAM model developed in Japan was the first to be implemented and validated outside Japan. • Forecast results can be visualized on a user-friendly, interactive web-based map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Associations between levels of sedentary behavior and depressive symptoms independently and in combination with different levels of physical activity remain unclear. Purpose: This study aimed to examine independent and combined associations of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) with depressive symptoms among Japanese adults. Method: An Internet-based survey collected data on depression levels (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), self-reported time spent in PA and SB (Japanese short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire), and sociodemographic variables from 2,914 adults in 2009. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the odds ratios (ORs) for being depressed (depression scores ≥16) according to independent PA levels (none, insufficient, sufficient), SB levels (low, moderate, high), and nine combinations of PA and SB categories. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, sufficient PA level was found to be related to lower risk of depressive symptoms independently (OR = 0.61), whereas no significant associations were observed between SB levels and depression. In the combined associations, adults in the sufficient PA/high SB (OR = 0.44), sufficient PA/moderate SB (OR = 0.56), and sufficient PA/low SB (OR = 0.57) categories were significantly less likely to have depressive symptoms in comparison with the no PA/high SB category. Conclusion: Meeting physical activity recommendations is associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms, regardless of time spent in total sedentary behavior. These results suggest that promoting physical activity may be an effective strategy against depressive symptoms among Japanese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Japan's 3/11 disaster could have been reduced through ecological planning. • A 1980 environmental inventory largely predicted areas impacted by 3/11 disaster. • Japan's most recent risk mapping fails to indicate the 3/11 disaster impacted areas. • Map overlay can be instrumental for multi-hazard risk assessment. • Its effectiveness requires open, integrated and comprehensive risk information. On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a series of catastrophes in Japan. The sheer magnitude of this compound disaster—known as the 3/11 disaster—raises a question whether it was simply unavoidable. However, this study demonstrates that the 3/11 disaster could have been significantly reduced by strategic ecological planning, if not avoided altogether. Using an environmental inventory developed by the Japan National Land Agency (JNLA) in 1980, we conducted a retrospective multi-hazard risk assessment for Tohoku through map overlay. We found that 89 % of the damaged highways, 88.2 % of the damaged buildings, and 81 % of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plants and associated facilities in the 3/11 disaster are subject to high risks of one or more hazards identified in the 1980 environmental inventory. This implies that the historic data has "predicted" the major damages in the 3/11 disaster occurred 31 years later. A similar assessment using the 2019 risk data by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) shows that this current risk mapping, nevertheless, largely fails to indicate the aforementioned damages. Our study suggests that even simple "map overlay" can be instrumental to multi-hazard risk assessment; however, for map overlay to be effective, a high-quality environmental inventory map with integrated and comprehensive risk information is necessary, and thus risk mapping quality matters. To reduce compound disasters, the political will is most important to ensure that the results of multi-hazard risk assessment is taken into account in spatial planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]