Hyogo Prefecture Research Articles

Association between self-reported weight loss and new long-term care insurance certifications: A 9-year Japanese older adult cohort study.

This cohort study aimed to assess weight loss associated with new long-term care insurance (LTCI) certifications over a 9-year period, accounting for the competing risk of death. We analyzed data from 3749 Japanese individuals aged ≥65 years in Kami Town, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Weight loss was assessed using the Kihon Checklist during the baseline survey. Data regarding LTCI certifications were collected until March 2022. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 9-year LTCI certification because of weight loss, adjusted for confounding factors. To exclude the effect of competing risks, Fine-Gray regression was used to estimate subdistribution HRs. Subgroup analyses were carried out after the examination of potential interactions between subjective cognitive function, body mass index categories and weight loss. The incidence rate of new LTCI certifications was 5.16 per 100 person-years overall - broken down into 7.02 for those with weight loss and 4.97 for those without. The adjusted HR for weight loss to new LTCI certifications was 1.35 (95% CI 1.15-1.59). Considering mortality as a competing risk, the adjusted subdistribution HR was 1.37 (95% CI 1.16-1.61). Conversely, no interaction was observed between weight loss and subjective cognitive function or body mass index categories. Excluding the effect of mortality, weight loss was identified as a risk factor for new LTCI certifications. However, no interaction was observed between weight loss and subjective cognitive function or body mass index categories. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; ••: ••-••.

Dual roles of terrestrial isopods in seed predation and seed dispersal in Phacellanthus tubiflorus (Orobancheaceae)

AbstractTerrestrial isopods are known to play significant roles in litter decomposition and seed predation. The present study examines the function of terrestrial isopods, particularly Armadillidium vulgare and Armadillidium nasatum, in the seed dispersal of a nonphotosynthetic plant, Phacellanthus tubiflorus. These isopods were observed ingesting seeds in the natural habitat of P. tubiflorus in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Contrary to the prevailing belief that invertebrates do not serve as effective internal seed dispersers, our analysis demonstrated that some seeds ingested by A. vulgare and A. nasatum were excreted whole, with viability rates comparable to those of seeds directly sourced from fruits. This indicates that these isopods could act not only as seed predators but also as seed dispersers. The research highlights the importance of further exploration into the ecological contributions of isopods and other invertebrates as seed dispersers.

Early Cretaceous troodontine troodontid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Ohyamashimo Formation of Japan reveals the early evolution of Troodontinae

A new troodontid dinosaur, Hypnovenator matsubaraetoheorum gen. et sp. nov., is described based on an articulated postcranial skeleton recovered from the fluvial deposits of the Albian Ohyamashimo Formation of the Sasayama Group in Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Hypnovenator is distinguished from other troodontids by four autapomorphies and a combination of additional features. Our phylogenetic analysis positions Hypnovenator as the oldest and one of the most basal troodontines, forming a clade with Gobivenator mongoliensis. The discovery of Hypnovenator suggests that small-bodied maniraptorans with a sleeping posture were common not only in environments with volcanic and eolian events or alluvial systems but also in fluvial systems. Geometric morphometric analysis of manual ungual phalanges shows that manual ungual phalanges I and III of Hypnovenator exhibit considerable morphological variation but are functionally similar, which differs from those of non-troodontine troodontids, reflecting the transition of manual motion within Troodontinae. Hypnovenator also has mosaic features in the pes related to cursoriality. This study reveals that asymmetrical arctometatarsus occurred by the Albian, and some morphological changes, such as shorter digit IV than digit III and non-ungual phalanges of digits III with roller joints and digit IV with weakly ginglymoid articulation, arose during the early Late Cretaceous.

Enhanced large-scale building extraction evaluation: developing a two-level framework using proxy data and building matching

ABSTRACT Deep learning-based building extraction methods have widespread applications in diverse fields. However, the evaluation of large-scale extraction results remains challenging, due to traditional evaluation metrics rely on manually created ground-truth samples and the lack of comprehensive reference-building data for developing countries. To address these problems, we proposed a two-level framework for evaluating large-scale footprint extraction. First, we utilised global open-source population and land use data as the proxy data, to assess grid-level completeness for the areas with insufficient reference data. Second, we introduced an improved two-way area-overlapping method to match the extracted footprints with the reference buildings, thereby enabling a comprehensive evaluation of the study region. Tested in Hyogo Prefecture and Numazu City, Japan, the results demonstrated a 2.6-% improvement in grid classification accuracy and an increase of 0.53 in the completeness correlation, compared with the results obtained using a single proxy indicator. Moreover, the optimised matching method achieved an outstanding semantic matching accuracy of 99%, with high efficiency and robustness in multi-scale matching. Therefore, the proposed approach can effectively evaluate large-scale footprint extraction results and interpret their semantic relationship with actual buildings, applicable globally regardless of the availability of reference building datasets.

The Association between the Planetary Health Diet with a Regular Consumption of Breakfast and a Well-Balanced Diet: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Involving Japanese Male Engineering Students at a University in Hyogo Prefecture.

Few young Japanese adults regularly consume a well-balanced diet composed of staples, main courses, and sides. We hypothesised that adopting the recommended planetary health diet with regular breakfast consumption would promote well-balanced diets among young Japanese male undergraduates. This study aimed to examine the structural association between the planetary health diet with regular breakfast consumption and a well-balanced diet intake. This cross-sectional study included 142 male engineering undergraduates who completed a 2022 online questionnaire via Google Forms at a public university in Hyogo Prefecture. The planetary health diet comprises the consumption of the recommended eight items. A covariance structure analysis was performed in a hypothetical model with factors (regular breakfast consumption and eight items) potentially associated with the intake of a well-balanced diet at least twice daily. After excluding chicken dishes and nuts from the eight recommended items of the planetary health diet, goodness-of-fit became acceptable. Frequent consumption of the remaining six recommended items (fish, eggs, soybeans/soybean products, dairy foods, vegetables, and fruits) was significantly positively correlated with regular breakfast consumption and a significant positive path to a well-balanced diet. Among male university students, regular breakfast consumption and the planetary health diet may lead to a well-balanced diet.

Middle Triassic and middle Permian radiolarians from the Kamitaki Complex in the Sasayama area, Hyogo Prefecture, Southwest Japan: Evidence for Triassic plate subduction along the eastern margin of Paleo-Asia

The Kamitaki Complex, situated in the Sasayama area in Southwest Japan, has long been presumed to be a Permian subduction-related accretionary complex based on correlations from previous studies. However, because of the lack of fossil evidence, the exact age of the complex remained uncertain for a long time period. To address this gap in knowledge, a geological survey and microfossil mapping were conducted in the Kamitaki Complex to determine its age and geological context.A geological survey revealed that the Kamitaki Complex mainly consists of clastic rocks, and a mixture of sandstone, basalt, and chert blocks within the mudstones. The Kamitaki Complex is tectonically intercalated into the Lopingian (Late Permian) accretionary complex of the Ultra-Tamba Terrane and Late Triassic accretionary complex of the Tamba Terrane. The lithological and structural characteristics of the Kamitaki Complex confirm that it is an accretionary complex. Microfossil mapping yielded depositional ages, with radiolarian fauna such as Eptingium nakasekoi, Pseudostylosphaera japonica, Cryptostephanidium japonicum, and Oertlispongus cf. diacanthus identified in mudstones suggesting an Anisian (early Middle Triassic) age. In contrast, radiolarian fauna found in cherts, including Pseudoalbaillella? aff. longicornis, and Follicucullus cf. porrectus, indicate an early Capitanian (late Guadalupian, middle Permian) depositional age. These findings suggest that the Kamitaki Complex records a trenchward migration of the oceanic plate in a pelagic environment from the early Capitanian and an accretion at the trench during the Anisian period.Conventionally, the plate boundary between the Panthalassa and Paleo-Asia during the latest Permian to Middle Triassic was of the transform type, primarily because no subduction-related accretionary complexes from this period have been identified in the Japanese Islands. However, the discovery of Kamitaki Complex, an Anisian accretionary complex, provides evidence of Middle Triassic subduction activity along the eastern margin of Paleo-Asia. According to the internal structure and age polarity of the Ultra-Tamba and Tamba terranes, an accretionary complex developed over a prolonged period (approximately 120 million years) in a tectonic setting that persisted along the eastern margin of Paleo-Asia from the late Guadalupian to the earliest Cretaceous period.

The Full-Genome Analysis and Generation of an Infectious cDNA Clone of a Genotype 6 Hepatitis E Virus Variant Obtained from a Japanese Wild Boar: In Vitro Cultivation in Human Cell Lines.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) can cause self-limiting acute and chronic hepatitis infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. In developing countries, HEV is mainly transmitted via drinking contaminated water, whereas zoonotic transmission dominates the route of infection in developed countries, including Japan. Pigs are an important reservoir for HEV infection. Wild boars, which share the same genus and species as domestic pigs, are also an HEV reservoir. During our nationwide study of HEV infection in wild boar populations in Japan, a genotype 6 (HEV-6) strain, wbJHG_23, was isolated in Hyogo Prefecture in 2023. The genomic length was 7244 nucleotides, excluding the poly(A) tract. The wbJHG_23 strain exhibited the highest nucleotide identity throughout its genome with two previously reported HEV-6 strains (80.3-80.9%). Conversely, it displayed lower similarity (73.3-78.1%) with the HEV-1-5, HEV-7, and HEV-8 strains, indicating that, although closely related, the wbJHG_23 strain differs significantly from the reported HEV-6 strains and might represent a novel subtype. The wbJHG_23 strain successfully infected the human-derived cancer cell lines, PLC/PRF/5 and A549 1-1H8 cells, suggesting that HEV-6 has the potential for zoonotic infection. An infectious cDNA clone was constructed using a reverse genetics system, and a cell culture system supporting the efficient propagation of the HEV-6 strain was established, providing important tools for further studies on this genotype. Using this cell culture system, we evaluated the sensitivity of the wbJHG_23 strain to ribavirin treatment. Its good response to this treatment suggested that it could be used to treat human infections caused by HEV-6.

High Frequency of BRCA2 c.5576_5579del Carriers in Kakogawa, Japan.

Certain germline pathogenic variants (PVs), known as founder mutations, have been frequently observed in specific regions and ethnic groups. In Japan, several pathogenic variants of BRCA1/2 have been identified as founder mutations, with their distribution varying across different regions. This retrospective study aimed to further investigate the detailed distribution and correlation between genotype and clinical features among breast cancer patients. This study was conducted at Kobe University Hospital and three collaborating institutions. It included breast cancer patients who underwent BRCA1/2 genetic testing between July 1, 2018, and March 31, 2021, and were found to have germline PVs. Clinical characteristics and breast cancer subtypes were compared between carriers of BRCA2 c.5576_5579del and those with other PVs. Additionally, the detection rate of BRCA2 c.5576_5579del was compared with that observed in a previous report. A total of 38 breast cancer patients were included; PVs in BRCA1 and BRCA2 were detected in 12 and 26 patients, respectively, 12 of whom were BRCA2 c.5576_5579del carriers. BRCA2 c.5576_5579del carriers were more likely to develop triple negative breast cancers among all BRCA2 PV carriers. BRCA2 c.5576_5579del accounted for 30.8% of the PVs detected, with a particularly high frequency of 72.7% at Kakogawa Central City Hospital. BRCA2 c.5576_5579del was detected with a particularly high frequency in Hyogo Prefecture, especially in Kakogawa city. In the future, a survey of the distribution of the BRCA2 c.5576_5579del carriers may provide more clarity regarding their localization.

Association between the Combination of Speed-Eating and Eating until Full and Overweight/Obesity in Part-Time High School Students

Introduction: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between overweight/obesity and the combined behavior of speed-eating and eating until full among part-time high school students. Methods: In 2015, 2,507 male and female part-time high school students from Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, who completed a self-reported questionnaire on lifestyle, were included in the analysis. Overweight/obesity was defined as a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or more. Responses regarding speed-eating and eating until full were obtained by self-reporting. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for overweight/obesity. Results: Among the participants, 340 (13.6%) were overweight/obese and 468 (18.7%) reported both speed-eating and eating until full. Compared to neither speed-eating nor eating until full group, after adjustment for sex, age, work pattern, physical activity level, sleep duration, frequency of picky eating, frequency of snack intake, fast food intake frequency, frequency of adding salty condiments, frequency of eating less food to save money, and survey schools, the OR (95% CI) for overweight/obesity in speed-eating and not eating until full, eating until full and not speed-eating, and speed-eating and eating until full was 2.11 (1.38–3.22), 1.54 (1.12–2.10), and 2.94 (2.08–4.16), respectively. Conclusions: The combination of speed-eating and eating until full was associated with overweight/obesity among part-time high school students independent of other lifestyle factors.

Genbudo in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture

Genbudo in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture

The Possibility of Wide Area Evacuation in the Event of Natural Disasters: A Survey in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture

In industrial clusters that are affected by earthquakes and tsunamis, advance countermeasures are necessary to ensure the continuity of business operations of companies. This article presents the results of a questionnaire survey of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, to determine the current status of disaster countermeasures, and a questionnaire survey of residents’ awareness of risks and their current countermeasures.

Proposal for a Disaster Management Drill Program for High School Students Who Have Never Experienced a Disaster to Foster a Sense of “Awareness that Disaster Affects Everyone”

In this study, the authors propose a disaster management drill program for high school students. The program is designed to develop, among high school students, “the awareness that disasters affect themselves,” instead of being “someone else’s problem.” The program was developed in accordance with the ADDIE model of instructional design theory. Sayo High School in Sayo Town, Hyogo Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the flood in 2009, was selected as the program target. Since this school’s disaster management activities had primarily translated into a passive disaster management drill wherein students moved to an evacuation site according to the instructions of the teachers, we set two goals: “knowing past disasters and the current situation, and understanding the risks at the time of disaster” and “knowing the problems that occur at the time of disaster and understanding what action you should take.” In order to arouse interest among high school students, the authors incorporated drones for evacuation drills and gaming teaching materials for disaster management awareness into the program. We designed and implemented a program that ended in the morning, and compared the level of achievement on 21 learning objectives before and after the program. The results revealed a statistically significant rise in all of the 21 objectives. In addition, the results of factor analysis show that the program enabled the students to develop a sense of awareness that disasters affect everyone, understand the risks their communities would face during disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, and realize what they should do to manage this risk.

Transportation for Patients with Stroke in Need of Mechanical Thrombectomy: A Simulation-Based Study in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Transportation for Patients with Stroke in Need of Mechanical Thrombectomy: A Simulation-Based Study in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Feeding damage by fish to <i>Undaria pinnatifida</i> during the nursery cultivation period in the Seto Inland Sea, Hyogo Prefecture, and the development of a cage to prevent feeding damage

Feeding damage by fish to <i>Undaria pinnatifida</i> during the nursery cultivation period in the Seto Inland Sea, Hyogo Prefecture, and the development of a cage to prevent feeding damage

Estimation and Challenges of the Economic Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Disaster in Hyogo Prefecture

Estimation and Challenges of the Economic Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Disaster in Hyogo Prefecture

Individual Preparedness for Large-scale Earthquakes among International Students in Japan: A Cross-sectional Questionnaire Survey.

Individual preparedness for large-scale earthquakes is essential for safety and security in Japan, where earthquakes frequently occur. Foreign residents in Japan face barriers to gathering disaster information, and international students are likely to be more vulnerable to the effects of earthquakes due to the shorter duration of their stay in Japan. However, no studies have been conducted on international students' individual preparedness for large-scale earthquakes in Japan. This study aimed to investigate individual preparedness for large-scale earthquakes among international students in Japan. This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2023 among 360 international students aged ≥20 years enrolled at seven Japanese-language educational institutions in Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo prefectures. Of these, 120 (33.3%) agreed to participate in the mail surveys. Students with invalid answers were excluded and 114 (31.7%) were included in the analysis. The information obtained using a self-administered questionnaire included participants' characteristics, methods used to collect information on individual preparedness for large-scale earthquakes (information sources and languages), and individual preparedness for large-scale earthquakes. Many international students had not implemented safety measures at home and lacked information about safety confirmation, evacuation sites and routes, items to wear during evacuation, items to take in case of evacuation, or items to stockpile at home. In particular, approximately half of the participants lacked knowledge about nearby evacuation sites, and only 37.7% had confirmed their evacuation routes to nearby evacuation sites. Only 32.5% had prepared bags containing emergency items to take in case of an evacuation, and most had not packed the items, even though they were stocked at home. In addition, only 8.8% had stockpiled radios and emergency portable toilets at home. It is necessary to promote individual preparedness for large-scale earthquakes among international students in Japan.

Southern zone of Maizuru Belt, Tajima area, Hyogo Prefecture, Southwest Japan

Southern zone of Maizuru Belt, Tajima area, Hyogo Prefecture, Southwest Japan

일본에서 AI 정책결정과 지역과제 해결

The introduction of technology into the local problem-solving process is an opportunity to diversify the means that the region can choose. It will be possible to solve problems with a different response scenario from the conventional one. In this sense, AI and robotics technology will also be a new and efficient means of solving problem. In this paper, we analyze examples from Nagano Prefecture and Hyogo Prefecture, where local data is used to make AI policy decisions. We also analyze examples from the Fukushima region, where AI robots are used to solve local educational problems.
 In the case of Nagano Prefecture, an AI policy proposal was made with the aim of creating a sustainable community until 2050. Nagano Prefecture is implementing a human resource development project to respond to the declining population in the region. It also promotes policies to promote the circulation of local resources. Hyogo prefecture is conducting AI analytics to address regional issues related to the widening regional disparities, declining population, and aging population. AI presents twenty thousand different policy scenarios based on local data. The AI policy decision calls for the development of the health, medical, and nursing systems necessary to extend the healthy life expectancy of people over sixty five by 2040.
 The Fukushima area has faced the challenges of losing its population and raising the level of education in the area since the nuclear disaster. To solve these issues, English and programming education using AI robots is being conducted at a local Center for Early Childhood Education and Care. AI robot classes are highly satisfying not only for children but also for parents. AI robot classes are also effective for AI literacy education.
 In order to ensure the sustainability of any region in the future, it will be necessary to make efficient use of local resources. This analysis shows that the use of AI robotics technology is an effective means of solving the problems faced by the region, and it is also a new means.

GOOD FOR HEALTH, BAD FOR SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING: EFFECT OF CONTINUING WORK ON JAPANESE OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Recently, the labor force rate of Japanese older adults has been increasing. The white paper of Japan’s Cabinet Office shows that half of the people in their late 60s are employed in 2022. Previous literature has indicated that work has positive effects on health and cognitive functions; however, the work environment is not age-friendly. Most companies set the mandatory retirement age at 60, after which people must work under a worse labor contract. This study aims to explore the effect of work on Japanese older adults’ subjective well-being and to examine whether social participation and civic activity can buffer work’s negative effects. Random sampling survey was conducted in 2019 on people living in the Tokyo and Hyogo prefectures. The response rate was 43.0% (N = 1,063, aged 50–74). Analyses of covariance were conducted on well-being, depression, anxiety, loneliness, and life satisfaction. We found that work has negative effects on anxiety and life satisfaction, with civic activity moderating the negative effect on life satisfaction. Gender differences were observed regarding anxiety and loneliness. Women showed higher anxiety, and men showed higher loneliness. Regarding age difference, people in their late 60s exhibited the lowest depression and those in their late 50s higher anxiety. It is argued that Japan’s third agers live in more difficult work circumstances than ever before, and it is thus necessary to explore age-friendly labor conditions for older adults.

THE FACTORS RELATED TO KENDO PRACTICE THAT AFFECT IKIGAI-KAN OF MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER KENDO PRACTITIONERS

Abstract The purpose of this study was to clarify the factors related to kendo practice that affect Ikigai-Kan and actual conditions of generativity, mental health of middle-aged and elderly Kendo practitioners. We selected 97 middle-aged and older Kendo practitioners who are practicing at Dojos in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures as research participants. Items that are basic attributes were grouped into two groups, and the values of each survey item were compared between groups. In addition, correlation analysis was performed to grasp the mutual relationship between the basic attributes and each survey item value. Furthermore, in order to clarify the factors related to the practice of kendo that affect Ikigai-Kan, multiple regression analysis was performed. Each item value indicating the practice status of kendo was used as independent variable. As a result, it was confirmed that the frequency of practice with young people (β=0.384, p< 0.01) affected Ikigai-Kan. These results show that the collaboration between the school and the community, the creation of an environment where the skills and experience of middle-aged and elderly people such as club activity instructors and local sports organizers can be enhanced, and opportunities to interact with or practice with young people would lead to Ikigai.