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The purpose of this study was to examine the studies related to augmented reality applications in sports science and to discuss the results based on this. Articles selected for analysis were found through searches journals in the Web of Science database from 1975 to 2018 were examined and searched using the keywords ("physical education" or "physical activity" or "sport$") and ("augmented reality"). As a result of the search, 44 articles were reached, and 11 articles were excluded from the research because they were not related to augmented reality applications or sports science. The publication classification form consists of the titles "Years, Authors Number, Country, Journals, Age, Sample Size, Variables, Sample Method, Research Method, Data Collection Method and Data Analysis Method." There are a limited number of studies where sports and augmented reality technology are used and interacted together. With the spread of the use of augmented reality and similar technologies in the field of sports sciences, it is thought that such fields as health and education will be positively affected.

Professionalization in adult education is necessary, and several initiatives are underway to improve the professional situation as well as the competences and skills of adult educators. The relevance and importance of adult education is often stated. Large-scale assessments such as the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competences show how important adult education is for societies and economies. They give information on participation and participants. At first glance, the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competences lacks detailed information on adult education institutions and professions. A second glance allows explore what people do as part of their work. Those who state that they teach regularly or occasionally will be explored here in more detail. Findings from this study reveal several characteristics of people who teach, including age, gender, academic background and industries. In particular, our analysis suggests that more than 80% of those who teach did not have formal degrees in education sciences. Moreover, those who teach frequently have higher skills, older ages and they have better job positions than those who do not teach. The majority of those who teach are males. Lastly, the results indicate that seniority and prestige in all 14 countries examined in this study are highly relevant to people who teach.

Social education is seen as one important way of building a learning society, through supporting people in solving their daily problems. In a learning society, people could participate in a big project to develop their community as well as enjoying learning, without being excluded because of economic status, gender, age or ethnicity. Implementing a community education plan is the important role for social education, in other words, social education has become a main actor in a changing society. (Contains 1 figure.)

This study assessed the factor structure of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC®) Listening and Reading test, and its invariance across subgroups of test-takers. The subgroups were defined by (a) gender, (b) age, (c) employment status, (d) time spent studying English, and (e) having lived in a country where English is the main language. The study results indicated that a correlated two-factor model corresponding to the two language abilities of listening and reading best accounted for the factor structure of the test. In addition, the underlying construct had the same structure across the test-taker subgroups studied. There were, however, significant differences in the means of the latent construct across the subgroups. This study provides empirical support for the current score reporting practice for the TOEIC test, suggests that the test scores have the same meaning across studied test-taker subgroups, and identifies possible test-taker background characteristics that affect English language abilities as measured by the TOEIC test.

Background: Although sense of coherence (SOC) moderates parental stress, the relationship between SOC, parental mental health and physical punishment of children with intellectual disabilities remains uncertain. The present authors describe parental physical punishment towards children with intellectual disabilities and investigate its related demographic characteristics, SOC and parental mental health. Materials and Methods: With the cooperation of Tokyo's 10 special needs schools, the present authors obtained 648 questionnaire responses from parents of children with intellectual disabilities. Results: Of the parents, 69.7% reported having physically punished their children with intellectual disabilities. This was positively associated with parents' younger age, poorer mental health, lower SOC, children's younger age, birth order (firstborns) and disability type (autism/pervasive developmental disorder). Conclusions: This is the first study supporting the relationship between SOC, mental health and physical punishment use among parents of children with intellectual disabilities. It may assist the development of strategies to prevent physical abuse of children with disabilities.

This article examines how two core factors--strategic and entrepreneurial dynamics--influence research and development (R&D) investment in new technology-based firms (NTBFs) using data from a questionnaire survey conducted in Japan. Among the strategic dynamics, it is found that joint R&D projects with universities have a positive, complementary effect on R&D investment. Moreover, among the entrepreneurial dynamics, a chief executive officer's higher education and prior industry experience in an R&D role (the latter implying at least a tertiary-level education in order to have acquired such experience) are positively related to R&D investment. These results indicate that the impact of universities on R&D expenditure in NTBFs occurs in strategic and entrepreneurial dynamics, and is expressed both directly and indirectly, with consequent implications for R&D capability and innovation.

Opportunities to improve skills and opportunities to teach or train others may be associated with job satisfaction, work engagement and organizational commitment. The analysis reported in this paper used a subsample of 823 employees within two Japanese and three American worksites. We tested not only the direct relationships of each type of training opportunity (to improve skills and to teach or train others) with each of three outcomes (job satisfaction, work engagement and organizational commitment) but also the potential moderating roles of performance orientation, job security and age. The relationships were assessed separately for Japanese and American respondents. The results highlight the importance of opportunities to improve skills for all three outcomes and of opportunities to teach and train for job satisfaction and work engagement. Performance orientation, job security and age generally were not significant moderators and, when they were, the effects were typically restricted to one country. The consistently positive coefficients for training opportunities should provide insight for cross-national organizations seeking to identify human resource policies effective across varying cultural, economic and demographic contexts.

Introduction: The inability to read quickly can be a disadvantage throughout life. This study focused on the associations of braille reading fluency and individual factors, such as the age at onset of blindness and number of years reading braille, and the tactile sensitivity of people with early and late blindness. The relationship between reading speed and these other factors was examined to identify factors that influence reading speed. Methods: Nine people with early blindness and 10 people with late blindness participated in this study, which included the measurement of accuracy of word recognition, braille reading speed, and tactile sensitivity. Results: We found a significant partial correlation between reading speed and the age at onset of blindness, controlling for number of years reading braille (r =-0.68, p <0.005), and no significant partial correlation between tactile sensitivity and reading speed after controlling for the age at onset of blindness (r =-0.08, ns). Discussion: A direct relationship between reading speed and tactile sensitivity was not confirmed, and the age at onset of blindness appears not only to mediate the relationship between reading speed and tactile sensitivity but also may be a crucial factor influencing braille reading fluency. Implications for practitioners: Our results suggested that a crucial factor that influences braille reading fluency was the age at onset of blindness, and that individuals should begin learning braille as early as possible.

This study tested societal effects on caregiver/teacher ratings of behavioral/emotional problems for 10,521 preschoolers from 15 societies. Many societies had problem scale scores within a relatively narrow range, despite differences in language, culture, and other characteristics. The small age and gender effects were quite similar across societies. The rank orders of mean item ratings were similar across diverse societies. For 7,380 children from 13 societies, ratings were also obtained from a parent. In all 13 societies, mean Total Problems scores derived from parent ratings were significantly higher than mean Total Problems scores derived from caregiver/teacher ratings, although the size of the difference varied somewhat across societies. Mean cross-informant agreement for problem scale scores varied across societies. Societies were very similar with respect to which problem items, on average, received high versus low ratings from parents and caregivers/teachers. Within every society, cross-informant agreement for item ratings varied widely across children. In most respects, results were quite similar across 15 very diverse societies. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

This study examined the correspondence between children's indoor and outdoor play in a preschool environment to investigate whether the children maintained a tendency to engage in a particular type of play irrespective of the environment, or whether they changed the type of play according to the environment. Play behaviours of 18 three-year-old and 20 five-year-old children were observed in both settings in an urban preschool in Japan. Various characteristics of play were examined based on cognitive play categories, social play categories, and types of objects used. The results indicate that children do not maintain fixed play behaviour without taking into consideration the play settings: their play differed greatly in accordance with the play setting. Not every child showed the same differences in play corresponding to differences in the setting. However, for each age group there was a qualitative difference based on the setting. For the three-year-olds, the "subject of interest" changed between settings, whereas for the five-year-olds, the "participation in society" changed related to the setting (indoor or outdoor). The "relation with the environment" was greater for both age groups in the outdoor setting. There were no significant sex differences. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

This study examined age-group corresponding relationships of the controlled force exertion based on sinusoidal and quasi-random waveforms in 175 right-handed male adults aged 20 to 86 years. The subjects were divided into 3 groups based on age-level: 53 young (mean age 24.6, SD = 3.3 years), 71 middle aged (mean age 44.3, SD = 8.7 years), and 51 elderly (mean age 69.3, SD = 6.4 years). The participants matched their submaximal grip strength by the dominant hand to changing demand values displayed as either a sinusoidal or a quasi-random waveform appearing on the display of a personal computer. The quasi-random waveform was changed in [pi] with amplitude and in [pi]/2 with frequency (peak and mean frequency were 0.1 Hz in both waveforms). The participants performed the controlled force exertion test three times with a 1-min interval (one trial was 40 sec) after one practice trial using the dominant hand. The measurement order was randomly assigned. The total of the differences between the demand value and grip exertion value for 25 sec were used as an evaluation parameter. The coefficient of variance was almost the same range in all age groups in both waveforms (CV[subscript SW] = 30.8-35.6, CV[subscript RW] = 26.3-37.7), but the elderly group showed the highest value in the quasi-random waveform. Significant correlations were found among the sinusoidal and quasi-random waveforms in the young, middle-aged, and elderly groups, but significant differences were not found in the correlations among each age group. The controlled force exertion evaluation based on the sinusoidal and quasi-random waveform displays has a moderate relationship, and this relationship does not show age-level differences. (Contains 3 figures and 2 tables.)

This study focuses on perfectionism in Japanese and North American academically gifted children as it pertains to their potential contribution in the countries seeking progress and global leadership. Perfectionist' tendencies and the characteristics that typically reveal such tendencies are examined in academically gifted Japanese juku-school students (N=195, average age 11 years 6 months) using the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Frost "et al.", 1990). A comparison is made with the same age peers living in the United States of America from the Parker and Mills study conducted in 1996. The study revealed a stronger orientation towards perfectionism in academically gifted Japanese children than their American counterparts, especially in terms of their efforts to do their best in their own social milieu. Concluding remarks recognize the difficulties in conducting cross-cultural research. (Contains 6 tables.)

We examined effects of age and culture on children's memory for the pitch level of familiar music. Canadian 9- and 10-year-olds distinguished the original pitch level of familiar television theme songs from foils that were pitch-shifted by one semitone, whereas 5- to 8-year-olds failed to do so (Experiment 1). In contrast, Japanese 5- and 6-year-olds distinguished the pitch-shifted foils from the originals, performing significantly better than same-age Canadian children (Experiment 2). Moreover, Japanese 6-year-olds were more accurate than their 5-year-old counterparts. These findings challenge the prevailing view of enhanced pitch memory during early life. We consider factors that may account for Japanese children's superior performance such as their use of a pitch accent language (Japanese) rather than a stress accent language (English) and their experience with musical pitch labels.

Age- and IQ-balanced 27 children with high-functioning (IQ greater than or equal to 70) pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (HPDDNOS) and 27 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were compared on the Japanese version of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Third Edition (WISC-III) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale-Tokyo Version (CARS-TV). Compared with the ADHD children, the HPDDNOS children scored significantly lower on verbal comprehension, vocabulary, and comprehension, but significantly higher on block design. After controlling for the total CARS-TV score, the HPDDNOS children were significantly more abnormal on "relationships with people," "nonverbal communication," and "general impressions," but less abnormal on "near receptor responsiveness" and "activity level." These differences in cognitive and autistic symptom profiles may help professionals to distinguish clinically between both conditions.

Japan faces significant challenges associated with its super-aged society. Exercise and physical activity are recommended strategies to promote healthy aging and quality of life in older age. However, what determines exercise behavior among Japanese older adults is relatively unknown. The principle aim of this study was to explore exercise determinants and their relation to exercise behavior among Japanese older adults. Completed self-report questionnaires were received from 1,000 Japanese older adults aged between 65 and 74 years who resided in the Kansai area. A cross-sectional maximum likelihood path analysis was used to test the relationships between variables, where it was hypothesized that affective experiences in childhood had an indirect association with the exercise behavior of Japanese older adults through the seven psychological determinants of exercise. Demographic factors were also included in the model as potential influences of all factors. Knowledge held the largest significant direct association with exercise behavior (β =  .539, p = <.001), particularly more intense forms of exercise such as resistance exercise (β =  .725, p = <.001) and moderate to strenuous exercise (β = .420, p = <.001), whilst affective exercise experience in childhood (B = 3.749, p = <.001) and gender (B = 5.183, p = .003) held significant indirect associations. This paper emphasizes the importance of exercise-related knowledge among Japanese older adults and future research is warranted to further explore the role of positive affective exercise experiences in childhood and their influence on exercise behavior, especially amongst girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Upper oesophageal sphincter (UES) serves as an important anatomical and functional landmark during swallowing. However, the precise UES location before and during swallowing has not been well established. Objective: This study aimed to determine upper oesophageal sphincter (UES) location and displacement during swallowing accounting for sex, age, and height in healthy adults using 320‐row area detector computed tomography (320‐ADCT). Methods: Ninety‐four healthy adults (43 males; 22–90 years) underwent 320‐ADCT scanning while swallowing one trial of 10 mL honey thick barium. UES location at bolus hold and at maximum displacement and vertical displacement during swallowing were identified using the coordinates and the section classification of vertebrae (VERT scale). The differences and correlations of UES location and distance in terms of sex, age, and height were analysed using Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: UES locations at bolus hold and at maximum displacement were significantly lower and UES vertical displacement was significantly larger in males than in females (p <.001). UES location at bolus hold became lower with increasing age (r = −.312, p =.002), but the negative correlation was low at maximum displacement (r = −.230, p =.026), resulting in larger vertical distance with ageing. UES locations showed high negative correlation at bolus hold with height (r = −.715, p <.001), and showed moderate negative correlation at maximum displacement with height (r = −.555, p <.001), although this effect was unclear when analysed by sex. Conclusion: Males showed lower UES location and larger displacement than females. The impact of age was evident with lower location before swallowing and larger displacement during swallowing. Differences observed by sex were not completely explained by using the VERT scale to adjust for height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body mass index (BMI) is routinely used to ascertain health status, including activities of daily living (ADLs); however, the associations of ADLs with height and weight in older adults have not been elucidated. Therefore, we cross-sectionally investigated the correlations between ADLs and height, weight, and BMI in 155 participants aged 82 to 103 years and characterized the naïve Bayesian prediction for ADLs. Activities of daily living showed a significant negative correlation with height and weight and a positive correlation with age. In males, a shorter height was associated with an increased risk of falling and disability in phone calling independently, and losing weight was associated with an increased risk of disability in going out. Combining age, weight, and height improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the prediction of disability in going out and phone calling independently in males. Therefore, height and weight, not BMI, are potential predictors of ADL decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus is one of the most important coastal fish species in Japan. However, its catch in the southwestern Sea of Japan has been decreasing. Therefore, there is a need to improve the accuracy of stock assessment. Catch-at-age, which is the basis for stock assessment, is calculated based on the length–frequency distribution using age-length keys. It is recommended that this basic information is revised annually. However, the information for this species has not been updated for a relatively long period. In this study, growth curves were estimated and compared with those recorded from other areas. A multinomial logistic age-length key was generated and compared with the classical catch-at-age calculation method to examine potential errors. On the basis of the results obtained, a sex-specific von Bertalanffy growth curve was selected using the Bayesian information criterion. A model of sex and season was chosen for the multinomial logistic age-length key. The relative error was smaller and the estimated age composition was more accurate with the multinomial logistic age-length key, even when data with missing values were used. The improved accuracy of catch-at-age achieved due to the superior characteristics of the multinomial logistic age-length key is expected to be useful for the advancement of stock assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What does a good life look like? The present research investigated individual differences in people's perceptions of the factors that are most important for living a good life using two waves of data in probability samples from the US (MIDUS; N = 4041) and Japan (MIDJA; N = 381). We examined country- and age-related similarities and differences in perceptions of a good life and associations of perceptions of a good life with experiences of wellbeing and physical health. Some factors were considered important for living a good life in both countries and across age (e.g., positive relationships with family), whereas other factors varied between countries (e.g., U.S. participants were more likely to perceive faith as important) and by age (e.g., younger adults were more likely to perceive having a good job as important). Further, perceptions of a good life were related to experiences of wellbeing and physical health concurrently and prospectively. This research informs our understanding of how people differ from one another in their perceptions of a good life, and how these differences may matter for individuals' experiences of a good life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age is an important parameter for bettering the understanding of biodemographic trends—development, survival, reproduction and environmental effects—critical for conservation. However, current age estimation methods are challenging to apply to many species, and no standardised technique has been adopted yet. This study examined the potential use of methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM), a labour-, time-, and cost-effective method to estimate chronological age from DNA methylation in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). The objective of this study was to investigate the accuracy and validation of MS-HRM use for age determination in long-lived species, such as Asian elephants. The average lifespan of Asian elephants is between 50–70 years but some have been known to survive for more than 80 years. DNA was extracted from 53 blood samples of captive Asian elephants across 11 zoos in Japan, with known ages ranging from a few months to 65 years. Methylation rates of two candidate age-related epigenetic genes, RALYL and TET2, were significantly correlated with chronological age. Finally, we established a linear, unisex age estimation model with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 7.36 years. This exploratory study suggests an avenue to further explore MS-HRM as an alternative method to estimate the chronological age of Asian elephants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To clarify the impact of donor and recipient characteristics on the survival of recipients before and after lung transplantation in the Japanese population. Methods: Patients' data were collected for retrospective analysis from all authorized lung transplant centers in Japan. We included 1963 patients listed for lung transplantation by the end of December 2021, comprised of 658 deceased-donor and 270 living-donor lung transplants. Results: Primary disease had a significant impact on the mortality of patients waiting for transplantation. The indications for transplant significantly affected the post-transplant survival rate of deceased-donor lung transplant recipients. The recipient's age also significantly affected the post-transplant survival rate of the deceased-donor and living-donor lung transplant recipients. The recipients of grafts transplanted from donors aged 61 years or older showed a worse post-transplant survival rate (≧60 years old). The survival rate for the combination of a female donor to a male recipient among the deceased-donor lung transplant recipients was the worst among the four combinations. Conclusion: The donor and recipient characteristics significantly impacted the survival of recipients after lung transplantation. The underlying mechanism of the negative impact of the gender mismatch of female donor to male recipient on post-transplant survival needs to be investigated further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximum rooting depth is a key functional trait to increase the fitness of trees and also influences terrestrial ecosystem processes. Despite its importance, the drivers of the interspecific variation of maximum rooting depth or its relation to other plant traits and plant age are not well understood. In this study, we aimed to clarify the drivers of the interspecific variation of maximum rooting depth with special reference to its relation to plant leaf traits and age. We analyzed how maximum rooting depth of single individuals of 227 tree species planted in the same common garden in the temperate region of central Japan is correlated to commonly measured leaf functional traits (specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf nitrogen (N) concentration) extracted from the TRY database. We did this by employing the phylogenetic comparable method and included the age of all target trees. When excluding the effect of phylogenetic signals from the relationships between rooting depth and leaf traits, SLA was negatively correlated with maximum rooting depth in deciduous, but not evergreen species. Further, rooting depth and leaf N concentration were negatively correlated in evergreen trees, a pattern driven by young trees. These results implicate that the relationship between maximum rooting depth and leaf traits differed depending on the leaf habits and age of the tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sea urchin Heliocidaris crassispina has northern expanded in geographic range to Toga Bay, Oga Peninsula in the Sea of Japan due to the global warming. To demonstrate the gonad traits and age structure of H. crassispina in the central range and compare the difference with those in northern extended range, we collected 100 H. crassispina individuals from a barren off Shitsumi, Fukui (central range), in August 2018. Their growth, gonad traits (size, development and color), and sex ratio were investigated and compared with those in Toga Bay, in August 2014 (extended range). The successive 2012–2016 year classes of H. crassispina indicated successive juvenile recruitment in the central range, as found in the extended range. The individuals at three years old in central range were obviously larger than those in the extended range, showing large test diameter and body weight, possibly due to the higher temperature in central range than that in northern extended range. In addition, a balanced sex ratio in the central range was found, in contrast to the female-skewed sex ratio found in the extended range. Gonadal development was sex- and site-dependent. The testicular development in the central range was not only delayed in comparison to ovarian development, but also less delayed than those in the extended range, which possibly attribute to the higher water temperature in the central range. A significantly lower male gonad index and L* (lightness) value was recorded in central ranges compared to that in extended range, possibly due to the releasement of sperm of H. crassispina in central ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The number of patients with acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) has been increasing in Japan. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the number and characteristics of patients with AACE examined in our institution during a 12-year period. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with AACE aged < 30 years who suddenly developed diplopia or esotropia and were examined in Hyogo College of Medicine Hospital from January 2008 to December 2021. We investigated the association of the yearly changes in the number of patients with the age category, refractive error category, AACE type, esotropia type, and use or nonuse of smartphones. Results: The total number of patients with AACE was 171, and this number significantly increased each year (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.9450; p < 0.0001). Significant increases were found among students in junior high school and beyond, patients with myopia, patients with Bielschowsky type AACE, and patients with basic esotropia (p < 0.0001 for all). We compared two age groups, elementary school students and below versus junior high school students and above, and found that the rate of increase was significantly higher in the junior high school students and above (estimate, 1.951; p < 0.0001), and the non-myopia group and myopia group and found that the rate of increase was significantly higher in the myopia group (estimate, 1.891; p < 0.0001). Excessive use of smartphones was confirmed in 82 of 133 patients, and the rate of the increase in the number of patients with AACE was significantly greater among patients with than without excessive use of smartphones (estimate, 1.098; p = 0.0009). Conclusion: This study confirmed a significant increase in the number of patients with AACE in recent years. The excessive use of smartphones may be associated with the increase in AACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Japan, a super-aged society, is increasing and poses a major public health issue. Several studies have reported sex differences in the association between age and MetS prevalence. This study aimed to examine the association between age and the prevalence of MetS based on multiple screening criteria and MetS components by sex. Methods: We used 6 years of individual-level longitudinal follow-up data (June 2012 to November 2018; checkup year: 2012–2017) of middle-aged and older adults aged 40–75 years in Japan (N = 161,735). The Joint Interim Statement criteria, International Diabetes Federation criteria, and another set of criteria excluding central obesity were used as the screening criteria for MetS. The prevalence of MetS and MetS components was cross-sectionally analyzed according to sex and age. A longitudinal association analysis of age, MetS, and MetS components by sex was performed using a multilevel logistic model, adjusted for lifestyle- and regional-related factors. Results: Sex differences were observed in the prevalence and association of MetS and MetS components. In all age groups, the prevalence of central obesity was higher among women, and the prevalence of high blood pressure and fasting glucose was higher among men (P < 0.001). The prevalence of high triglyceride and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher among women aged > 60 years (P < 0.05). Based on the criteria of the Joint Interim Statement and International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence of MetS was higher among women than in men aged > 55 years (P < 0.001). Men had a higher prevalence of MetS without central obesity than women in all age groups (P < 0.001). The odds ratio for MetS and MetS components with aging was greater among women than in men. Conclusions: Medical management should be based on the prevalence of MetS and its components according to sex and age. In particular, the high prevalence of MetS without central obesity in middle-aged and older Japanese men suggests that the adoption of the Joint Interim Statement criteria, which do not precondition central obesity, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A sense of meaning and purpose in life–known in Japan as one's ikigai–can lead to better health outcomes, an improved sense of well-being, and longer life as people age. The design of socially assistive robots, however, has so far focused largely on the more hedonic aims of supporting positive affect and happiness through interactions with robots. To explore how social robots might be able to support people's ikigai, we performed (1) in-depth interviews with 12 'ikigai experts' who formally support and/or study older adults (OAs)' ikigai and (2) 5 co-design workshop sessions with 10 such experts. Our interview findings show that expert practitioners define ikigai in a holistic way in their everyday experience and practice, incorporating physical, social, and mental activities that relate not only to the individual and their behaviors, but also to their relationships with other people and to their connection with the broader community (3 levels of ikigai). Our co-design workshops showed that ikigai experts were overall positive towards the use of social robots to support OAs' ikigai, particularly in the roles of an information-provider and social enabler that connects OAs to other people and activities in their communities. They also point out areas of potential risk, including the need to maintain OAs' independence, relationships with others, and privacy, which should be considered in design. This research is the first to explore the co-design of social robots that can support people's sense of ikigai–meaning and purpose–as they age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because decedents undergoing forensic autopsies would have behaved normally before death, prostate volume according to age group can be confirmed with forensic autopsy materials. The objectives of this study were to first confirm the current prostate volume by age and then determine diseases that can influence prostate volume using forensic autopsy materials. Prostate specimens were collected from forensic autopsies performed at Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan, between January 2015 and December 2019. Overall, 207 decedents were included in the study. Prostate volume was measured by the Archimedes' principle. Concomitant diseases were determined by the past medical histories and autopsy results. The mean crude prostate volume was 29.1 ± 10.3 mL (range, 2.8–88.0 mL). The crude prostate volume increased with age. The mean corrected prostate volume (divided by body surface area) was significantly higher in patients with atherosclerosis than in those without. However, multiple regression analysis revealed that only age influenced the corrected prostate volume. Age was the only significant influencing factor for prostate volume. We propose applying age estimation using prostate volume for forensic medicine purposes. Because prostate volume was not influenced by concomitant disease, it would be valuable to estimate the decedent's age using the prostate volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigates shifts in marriage desires during singlehood and the potential consequences associated with these shifts in Japan, a country epitomizing later and less marriage without substantial increases in nonmarital childbearing. Background: Despite researchers' long‐standing interest in values potentially motivating demographic changes, few have systematically examined marriage desires among unmarried adults. Even fewer have considered how marriage desires may change during adulthood and how relevant such changes are to marriage and family behavior. Method: The analysis uses 11 waves of the Japan Life Course Panel Survey, which tracks singles' marriage desires yearly. Fixed effects models are estimated to demonstrate factors associated with within‐person changes and account for unobserved heterogeneity. Results: Japanese singles' marriage desires decline with age but are stronger when they perceive greater opportunities to form romantic relationships or marriage. Singles experiencing an increase in the desire to marry are more likely to take actions to seek partners and to enter a romantic relationship or marriage subsequently. The associations between marriage desires and the various behavioral changes strengthen with age and feasibility of marriage. Increases in marriage desires also correspond to increases in single men's parenthood desires and ideal numbers of children, and the link between marriage desires and fertility preferences is stronger as they age. Conclusion: Marriage desires are not always stable or equally relevant throughout singlehood. Our study suggests that age norms and partnering opportunities both contribute to the fluctuation of marriage desires and affect when such desires would have behavioral implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate age-specific prevalence of disease subtypes and baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in Japanese patients with treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Study design: Retrospective multicenter case series. Methods: We reviewed the records of patients with treatment-naïve nAMD who underwent initial treatment in 14 institutions in Japan sometime during the period from 2006 to 2015. In patients in whom both eyes were treated, only the eye treated first was included for analysis. The patients were stratified by age for the analysis. Results: In total, 3096 eyes were included. The overall prevalence of subtypes was as follows: typical AMD, 52.6%; polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), 42.8%; retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP), 4.6%. The number of eyes in each age group was as follows: younger than 60 years, 199; 60s, 747; 70s, 1308; 80s, 784; 90 years or older, 58. The prevalence of typical AMD in each age group was 51.8%, 48.1%, 52.1%, 57.7%, and 55.2%, respectively. The prevalence of PCV was 46.7%, 49.1%, 44.7%, 34.4%, and 19.0%, respectively. The prevalence of RAP was 1.5%, 2.8%, 3.2%, 7.9%, and 25.9%, respectively. The prevalence of PCV decreased with age, whilst that of RAP increased. The prevalence of RAP was higher than that of PCV in patients aged 90 years or older. The mean baseline BCVA (logMAR) was 0.53. In each age group, the mean baseline BCVA was 0.35, 0.45, 0.54, 0.62, and 0.88, respectively. The mean logMAR BCVA at baseline significantly worsened with age (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of nAMD subtypes differed according to age in Japanese patients. The baseline BCVA worsened with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the relationship between age and self-reported verbal deception strategies in Japanese adults. Japanese participants (N = 153) aged 18 to 73 years took part in this study. We requested the participants to state their age and freely describe how they structure their speech to appear convincing when lying during their daily interactions. We extracted 13 verbal strategies from the participants’ open-ended descriptions. Japan is a high-context culture. The results indicated that 11 categories corresponded to the verbal strategies reported in previous studies on lying conducted in low-context cultures. However, two strategies mentioned in the current study, making ambiguous statements and adding irrelevant details to the lie, were not reported in low-context cultures. As expected, age was significantly and negatively correlated with the number of verbal strategies used when lying. Moreover, verbal strategies that seem relatively cognitive demanding were used less as the age of the participants increased. We concluded that these results reflected the age-related decline of cognitive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare anthropometric measurements between term singletons conceived via fresh embryo transfer (FreET) and frozen embryo transfer (FET) and those born via natural conception (NC) or fertility treatments milder than assisted reproductive technology (non‐ART) at 6 years of age. Methods: A total of 8149 children were enrolled, and questionnaires about anthropometric measures (weight, height, BMI) were addressed to parents, when the children were 1.5, 3, and 6 years of age. A total of 3299 term singletons were enrolled at birth: 533, 476, 916, and 1374 in the NC, non‐ART, FreET, and FET groups, respectively. Results: A total of 1635 term singletons (290, 176, 467, and 702 in the NC, non‐ART, FreET, and FET groups respectively) were enrolled until 6 years of age (follow‐up rate, approximately 50%). When non‐ART group was used as control, the FreET children were 1.0 cm taller than the non‐ART children at 6 years of age, after adjusting for confounding factors. However, no differences were observed in the anthropometric data among the non‐ART, ART, and NC children at 6 years of age. Conclusion: At 6 years of age, term singletons were taller in the FreET group than in the non‐ART group, after adjusting for confounders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During sleep, limb and jaw muscle motor activity can be quantified by electromyography (EMG). The frequency of periodic limb activity during sleep increases with age in both the general and clinical research populations. The literature is controversial regarding stability, over age, of the frequency of rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA), which is one biomarker of sleep bruxism (SB). Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective sleep laboratory study was to assess if any change in RMMA frequency occurs over age in the general population (GP) and two clinical research (CR) samples. Methods: RMMA signals from polysomnography (PSG) recordings of 465 individuals, irrespective of SB awareness, were analysed. The sample comprised 164 individuals from the GP of Sao Paulo, and 301 individuals from Montreal and Osaka CR samples. Data were divided into two subgroups, younger (15–39) and older (40–80) participants. RMMA was classified as low frequency (<2 events/h) or high (≥2 events/h). Pearson correlation (R) and B (slope) analyses were performed with power estimations. Results: In the GP sample, no significant change over age was noted in the RMMA index/year. In the CR samples, a significant reduction was observed in the RMMA index/year (−0.05) with age (R2 =.042; p <.001; 3.5 to 1.5 RMMA/h from 20 to 60 years old). Conclusions: In the GP, the RMMA index remained stable over age. In the CR samples, a significant, reduction was observed. Prospective studies with multiple home sleep recordings, in both general and clinical research populations, are needed before extrapolating from the present findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between health status at birth and short-term health has been established; however, the relationship with long-term health remains unclear, particularly in Japan. This study investigates the effect of birth weight on child development using data from the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the twenty-firstst Century—a nationwide birth cohort study conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. We employ twin fixed-effects estimation to examine the effects of birth weight on physical development, using measures including weight, height, percentage of overweight indexes, and hospitalization, with a focus on how the effects vary with age up to 12 years. The results show that for all ages, lower birth weight negatively affects body size but does not affect probability of hospitalization or overweight/underweight status, indicating a limited impact. However, lower birth weight shows larger adverse effects on body size and the probability of hospitalization when the sample is limited to birth weight < 2300 g compared with the full sample, suggesting the importance of considering heterogeneity. Japanese public policy for perinatal care may have contributed to this limited impact of birth weight. Additional care aimed at preventing low birth weight and greater focus on smaller babies would be more beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because adult and juvenile eel gobies usually hide within the burrows of muddy substrates, their diversity and life history have not yet been fully elucidated. We investigated larval specimens of the eel gobies collected on Okinawa Island in southern Japan. The genus Trypauchenopsis was previously thought to consist of only one species, but our larval collection identified two species, Trypauchenopsis limicola and Trypauchenopsis intermedia, distinguished by their species‐specific melanophore arrangements and differences in their fin‐ray counts. Taenioides kentalleni were previously known from only two specimens worldwide. A third specimen of this species has now been added from the larval collection. In addition to the three species above, Taenioides gracilis and Caragobius urolepis were identified and the larval morphologies of the five species were described for the first time. All the larvae collected in the present study were at late postflexion stage. T. limicola, T. intermedia and T. gracilis were presumably collected in the estuaries and beaches when approaching their adult habitats at the end of pelagic life. They were 8.5–10.3 mm in standard length, and otolith analysis suggests that their pelagic larval durations are a little longer than 1 month (average 34–37 days). The larval occurrence suggested that the spawning season of T. limicola is May–December, when the water temperature is warmer than approximately 20°C. Our work reveals that studying the larval stage can provide new information on the taxonomy and life history of the elusive cryptobenthic fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eruptive volumes and ages of the large-scale pumice eruptions of the Asama-Maekake volcano were obtained from extensive trench-based surveys. The calibrated radiocarbon age unit (CRAU) was adopted instead of each calibrated radiocarbon age. From the high-resolution tephro-stratigraphy of large-scale pumice eruptions and CRAU dating, the eruptive history of the Asama-Maekake volcano is divided into three active and two moderately active stages as follows: active stage I (9430 to 7260 ycalBP), moderately active stage 1 (7261 to 6446 ycalBP), active stage II (6447 to 3160 ycalBP), moderately active stage 2 (3161 to 1819 ycalBP), and active stage III (1820 ycalBP to present). The eruptions of the Asama-Maekake volcano consists of small-scale (phreatic to phreato-magmatic), intermediate-scale (Vulcanian), and large-scale pumice eruptions (sub-Plinian). The active stages were characterized by the occurrence of large-scale pumice eruptions. In the moderately active stages, pumice producing eruptions were lacking but instead Vulcanian eruptions dominated. A step diagram showing the relationship between eruption volumes (DRE) and ages (CRAU) is proposed, which indicates that active stage III is not time-predictable but is volume-predictable; if the large-scale pumice eruption occurs in 2022 AD, the forecasted eruptive volume is approximately 0.21 km3. The eruption rate is not constant and changes in each stage, and the average eruption rate of active stage III (0.0011 km3/year) is larger than those of active stage I (0.00006 km3/year) and II (0.0001 km3/year). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the influence of sex, age, and quadrivalent vaccination history on adverse reactions (ARs) to influenza vaccines and the relationship between the occurrence of ARs and the risk of influenza infection. Study participants were employees of three hospitals in the Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, who received the influenza vaccine in 2019. Data were collected using questionnaires. The main factors were age, sex, and history of influenza vaccination as a control. The primary outcomes were the incidence of local and systemic ARs attributable to the vaccine and positive influenza cases among the participants during the influenza season. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Among the 1493 participants, 80% experienced either local or systemic ARs. ARs were less common among men than among women (OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.21–0.37) and less common among those aged ≥60 years (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.26–0.89). ARs were significantly more likely to occur in those with a history of influenza vaccination (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.15–3.33). Those who had ARs, notably localized ones, were significantly more likely to incur influenza infection. Individuals who report ARs to influenza vaccination should strictly adopt non-pharmaceutical preventive measures in the hospital, community settings, and at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exercise prescription by physicians is beneficial for initiating or intensifying physical activity. However, providing specific exercise prescriptions is challenging; therefore, few physicians prescribe exercise., Objective: This infodemiological study aimed to understand trends in exercise-related internet search keywords based on sex, age, and environmental factors to help doctors prescribe exercise more easily., Methods: Search keyword volume was collected from Yahoo! JAPAN for 2022. Ten exercise-related terms were analyzed to assess exercise interest. Total search activities were analyzed by sex and age. Characteristic scores were based on the Japanese prefecture. By performing hierarchical cluster analysis, regional features were examined, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess relationships with population and industry data., Results: The top-searched term was "Pilates" (266,000 queries). Male individuals showed higher interest in activities such as "running" (25,400/40,700, 62.4%), "muscle training" (65,800/111,000, 59.3%), and "hiking" (23,400/40,400, 57.9%) than female individuals. Female individuals exhibited higher interest in "Pilates" (199,000/266,000, 74.8%), "yoga" (86,200/117,000, 73.7%), and "tai chi" (45,300/65,900, 68.7%) than male individuals. Based on age, search activity was highest in the 40-49 years age group for both male and female individuals across most terms. For male individuals, 7 of the 10 searched terms' volume peaked for those in their 40s; "stretch" was most popular among those in their 50s; and "tai chi" and "radio calisthenics" had the highest search volume for those in their 70s. Female individuals in their 40s led the search volume for 9 of the 10 terms, with the exception of "tai chi," which peaked for those in their 70s. Hierarchical cluster analysis using a characteristic score as a variable classified prefectures into 4 clusters. The characteristics of these clusters were as follows: cluster 1 had the largest population and a thriving tertiary industry, and individuals tended to search for Pilates and yoga. Following cluster 1, cluster 2, with its substantial population, had a thriving secondary industry, with searches for radio calisthenics and exercise bike. Cluster 4 had a small population, a thriving primary industry, and the lowest search volume for any term. Cluster 3 had a similar population to that of cluster 4 but had a larger secondary industry., Conclusions: Male individuals show more interest in individual activities, such as running, whereas female individuals are interested in group activities, such as Pilates. Despite the high search volume among individuals in their 40s, actual exercise habits are low among those in their 30s to 50s. Search volumes for instructor-led exercises are higher in cluster 1 than in other cluster areas, and the total number of searches decreases as the community size decreases. These results suggest that trends in search behavior depending on sex, age, and environment factors are essential when prescribing exercise for effective behavioral change., (©Kosuke Uemura, Taiju Miyagami, Mizue Saita, Takuro Uchida, Shun Yuasa, Keita Kondo, Shun Miura, Mizuki Matsushita, Yuka Shirai, Richard Baku Misawa, Toshio Naito. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 11.11.2024.)

Aim: There is limited evidence showing a relationship with age in the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest during exercise, which can be lethal at times., Methods: To examine the incidence by age group in sudden cardiac arrest, we prospectively observed cases of sudden cardiac arrest in full marathons certified by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations held between April 2011 and March 2019. Sudden cardiac arrest was defined as collapse during or 1 h after the race requiring chest compressions or the use of an automatic electrical defibrillation., Results: 4.1 million persons ran in 516 marathons. Of the participants, 78.6 % were men. By age group, 37.4 %, 34.7 %, 19.6 %, and 8.3 % belonged to the < 40 s, 40 s, 50 s, and ≥ 60 s groups, respectively. During the study period, 69 sudden cardiac arrests (1.7 per 100,000 participants, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-2.1) were observed, of which 66 were men. The incidence per 100,000 runners of sudden cardiac arrest was 0.9 (95 % CI: 0.4, 1.4), 0.9 (95 % CI: 0.4, 1.4), 2.6 (95 % CI: 1.5, 3.8), and 5.5 (95 % CI: 2.9, 8.2) for those in their under 40 s, 40 s, 50 s, and over 60 s, respectively, with higher rates for older age groups. Compared to men, the cases of SCA among women were less common (only three cases), and the incidence did not differ by age group., Conclusions: Men, unlike women, had a higher incidence of sudden cardiac arrest during marathons according to age. Identification of this high-risk population could be important information in encouraging marathoners pre-participation self-screening., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Few epidemiologic studies on acute kidney injury (AKI) have focused on the older adult population. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics and risk factors for AKI in this population., Methods: This retrospective observational study was performed with the clinical data of all outpatients and inpatients aged ≥ 65 years at the time of enrolment at Kochi Medical School Hospital between 1 January 1981 and 31 December 2021. The primary cohort was divided into those aged 65-74 and ≥ 75 years. The primary outcome was the occurrence of AKI., Results: Of 83,822 patients, 38,333 were included in the 65-74-year-old group, whereas 45,489 were included in the ≥ 75-year-old group. Prevalences of the first AKI event in the 65-74-year-old and ≥ 75-year-old groups were 11.9% and 12.4%, respectively. Overall, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, lower albumin level, lower or higher level of serum uric acid, and histories of diabetes mellitus, chronic heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, non-ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, and liver disease were independent risk factors for an AKI event. The risk factors for AKI unique to each cohort were using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and loop diuretics (L-DI), and histories of hypertension (HT) and vascular diseases (VD) in men aged 65-74 years; using NSAIDs, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), L-DI and other diuretics (O-DI), and histories of HT and VD in men aged ≥ 75 years; using NSAIDs and O-DI and not using angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), and a history of HT in women aged 65-74 years; and use of L-DI and a history of VD in women aged ≥ 75 years. Presence of proteinuria was a risk factor for developing AKI., Conclusions: Many AKI risk factors reported thus far are associated with AKI development. However, there are differences in the effects of the renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, ACEIs, and ARBs (ARBs may be protective). Additionally, the U-shaped relationship between AKI onset and uric acid levels differs between sexes in the elderly population, similar to other age groups, but this sex difference disappears in the very elderly population. Pre-existing chronic kidney disease is a risk factor for the development of AKI., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethical approval All procedures were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee at which the studies were conducted (institutional review board approval number 23–15) and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent Informed consent to record and analyse data for research purposes was obtained from all study participants. Data were obtained from patients who completed a general consent form based on an opt-out policy at Kochi Medical School Hospital., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japanese Society of Nephrology.)

Purpose: Artificial intelligence can predict the age of an individual using color fundus photographs (CFPs). This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of age prediction in the Kumejima study using fundus parameters and to clarify age-related changes in the fundus., Methods: We used nonmydriatic CFPs obtained from the Kumejima population study, including 1,646 right eyes of healthy participants with reliable fundus parameter measurements. The tessellation fundus index was calculated as R/(R + G + B) using the mean value of the red-green-blue intensity in eight locations around the optic disc and foveal region. The optic disc ovality ratio, papillomacular angle, and retinal vessel angle were quantified as previously described. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression with leave-one-out cross-validation was used to predict age. The relationship between the actual and predicted ages was investigated using Pearson's correlation coefficient., Results: The mean age of included participants (834 males and 812 females) was 53.4 ± 10.1 years. The mean predicted age based on fundus parameters was 53.4 ± 8.9 years, with a mean absolute error of 3.64 years, and the correlation coefficient between actual and predicted age was 0.88 (p < 0.001). Older patients had greater red and green intensities and weaker blue intensities in the peripapillary area (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Age could be predicted using the CFP parameters, and there were notable age-related changes in the peripapillary color intensity. The age-related changes in the fundus may aid the understanding of the mechanism of fundus diseases such as age-related macular degeneration., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) often extends to adjacent organs. According to the 8th Tumor-Node-Metastasis Classification, extension to the strap muscles was graded as T3b. We investigated the prognostic impact of T3b and the appropriateness of T3b in patients aged ≥55 years who were classified as stage II., Methods: We enrolled 7811 patients with M0 PTC who underwent initial surgery at the Kuma Hospital (Kobe, Japan) between January 2007 and December 2016. Tumor extension was divided into T3b, T4a1 (extension to the tracheal adventitia, tracheal cartilage, esophageal muscle layer, recurrent laryngeal nerve, cricothyroid, and inferior constrictor muscles), and sT4a2 (extension to the subcutaneous soft tissues, tracheal mucosa, esophageal mucosa, internal jugular vein, brachiocephalic vein, larynx, pharynx, and sternocleidomastoid muscle)., Results: In patients ≥55 years, the local recurrence-free survival (LR-FS), distant recurrence-free survival (DR-FS), and cause-specific survival (CSS) rates of T3bN0M0 were significantly poorer than those of T1/T2N0M0 but did not significantly differ from those of T3aN0M0. The LR-FS, DR-FS, and CSS rates of T3b stage II patients did not differ from those of T4a1 stage III patients but were significantly better than those of T4a2 stage III patients. T3b was an independent predictor of local recurrence and distant recurrence but not of death due to carcinoma in the multivariate analysis. In patients aged <55 years with M0 PTC, T3b had no prognostic value in both analyses., Conclusions: T3bM0 patients are appropriate to be classified as stage II in patients ≥55 years but be kept in stage I in patients <55 years., (© 2024 The Author(s). World Journal of Surgery published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC).)

Around the world, humans are living longer and politicians are getting older. But what do voters think about politicians of advanced age? We conduct a meta-analysis of 16 conjoint design-based candidate-choice experiments in seven democracies, revealing that older hypothetical candidates are consistently less likely to be favored by respondents—whether compared to the youngest alternative or the second-oldest alternative. We then report the findings of a novel conjoint experiment on Japanese voters designed to elicit whether the milestone of entering a new decade of age (70 vs. 69 years) affects respondents' preferences for hypothetical candidates. Although at most 730 days separate candidates of these ages (limiting concerns of substantial differences in health or fitness), we find a significant penalty for the older candidate. Together, our findings highlight the mismatch between voters' preferences for younger politicians and the ostensible gerontocracy that governs much of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Division of labour (DOL) is ubiquitous across biological hierarchies. In eusocial insects, DOL is often characterized by age-related task allocation, but workers can flexibly change their tasks, allowing for DOL reconstruction in fluctuating environments. Behavioural change driven by individual experience is regarded as a key to understanding this task flexibility. However, experimental evidence for the influence of individual experience is remains sparse. Here we tested the effect of individual experience on task choice in the queenless ponerine ant, Diacamma cf. indicum from Japan. Results: We confirmed that both nurses and foragers shifted to vacant tasks when the colony composition was biased to one or the other. We also found that nurses which are induced to forage readily revert to nursing when reintroduced into balanced colonies. In contrast, foragers which are induced to revert to nursing very rarely return to a foraging role, even 19 days post reintroduction to their original colony. Conclusions: Taken together, our results suggest that individual experience decreases the response threshold of original foragers, as they continue to be specialist nurses in a disturbed colony. However, original nurses do not appear strongly affected by having forager experience and revert to being nurses. Therefore, while individual experience does have an effect, other factors, such as reproductive ability, are clearly required to understand DOL maintenance in fluctuating environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, this research aims to reveal how population age changes the nexus of industrial structure upgrading-carbon emissions under urban growth and shrinkage using a panel threshold model. Population aging, industrial structure upgrading, and CO 2 emission mitigation represent three main challenges for urban development globally. However, only a few studies have integrated these challenges under the same framework, especially in the context of differentiated urban development patterns. Taking Japan as an example, urban development patterns are classified into four types using urban population and population density data from 2010 to 2020, including growth type, potential shrinking type, smart shrinking type, and continuous shrinking type. Each type's CO 2 emission patterns regarding energy consumption are then examined. After controlling for several socioeconomic and urban land scale variables, population aging and industry structure were used as the threshold variable and the key explanatory variable in the panel threshold model, respectively. The results showed that growing cities have lower carbon emissions than any of the shrinking cities in terms of CO 2 emissions per capita. A single-threshold effect of population aging was detected that changes the nexus of industrial structure upgrading-CO 2 emissions in potentially shrinking cities and continuously shrinking cities, while no such nonlinear effect was detected in the growing group. The mitigating effect of industrial structure upgrading on CO 2 emissions per capita increases as the aging level crosses 23.71% in potentially shrinking cities. In contrast, the promoting effect of industrial structure upgrading on CO 2 emissions per capita weakens as the aging level crosses 20.27% in continuously shrinking cities. This study implies a nonlinear mechanism of CO 2 emissions considering the integrated effects of aging and industrial structure, contributing to developing a rational and efficient emission reduction strategy considering differentiated urban development patterns. • Continuously shrinking cities tend to be the highest per capita carbon emissions. • Aging changes the nexus of industrial upgrading - carbon emissions in cities. • Urban development patterns have different effects, with aging as the threshold. • Compact development should be highlighted in shrinking cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]