Nagano Prefecture Research Articles

Predation of salamander egg sacs by the water strider Gerris (Macrogerris) insularisMotschulsky (Hemiptera: Gerridae)

AbstractWater striders (Hemiptera: Gerridae) are sucking predators that inhabit freshwater and marine environments. They prey mainly on insects that fall on the water surface, but they are also known to feed on amphibian eggs. Here, we report on the predation of egg sacs of Hynobius nigrescens (Caudata: Hynobiidae) by Gerris (Macrogerris) insularis. We observed predation on egg sacs of H. nigrescens by G. insularis at a pond in a mountainous area of Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. We also found egg sacs with predation marks probably made by water striders at a pond in the mountainous area of Nishimeya Village, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. Five water striders collected around the preyed egg sacs were identified as G. insularis. We filled three tanks with water and an egg sac, and three water striders that were collected at the site in Nishimeya Village were placed together in each tank. In two tanks, the jelly layer of the egg sac was partially cut in a horizontal manner, while in another tank, the jelly layer was removed on the part of the egg sac exposed on the water surface. Notably, the water striders exhibited predatory behavior only when the jelly layers were removed. Considering the results of the rearing experiment and the predation marks observed in the field, G. insularis is also likely to prey on egg sacs at the site in Nishimeya Village. Our study suggested that predation by G. insularis occurs when eggs are accidentally exposed due to disturbance of the jelly layer.

A preliminary study on image-based grading of apples harvested in the southern region of Nagano Prefecture, Japan

A preliminary study on image-based grading of apples harvested in the southern region of Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Changes in Career Paths and Migration of High School Graduates since 1990 in Nagano Prefecture: Focusing on Migration for Education at Universities, Junior Colleges, and Professional Training Colleges, and for Employment

Changes in Career Paths and Migration of High School Graduates since 1990 in Nagano Prefecture: Focusing on Migration for Education at Universities, Junior Colleges, and Professional Training Colleges, and for Employment

Human rights health care measures reporting physical fitness test for ages 6 to 17 with 10-year follow-up

Purpose This study aims to compare the physical fitness test results of Japanese children in 2008 and 2018 to narrow the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy and extend healthy life expectancy. In addition, this paper sought to explore the potential of implementing health education programs as a new social context to promote race equality and human rights in health and social care. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted in 2008 and 2018 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Physical fitness tests related to growth and development were administered to participants aged 6–17 years. Findings Physical fitness measurements in 2018, specifically those for walking ability and endurance, were significantly inferior to those in 2008. In a gender-specific analysis, boys outperformed girls in muscle strength, muscle endurance, walking ability and endurance tests, while girls outperformed boys in the balance test. Research limitations/implications Most of the junior and senior high school students who participated in the EO test exceeded the upper limit of 120 s, suggesting that the load of the measurement method is low and improvement is necessary. In 2018, a large variation in 6M results was observed among participants, possibly due to the differences in the level of seriousness during the 6M test. Therefore, to ensure that junior and senior high school students properly perform the EO and 6M tests, it is necessary to devise an effective method of implementation, such as changing the physical fitness test load. Originality/value Mere health education is ineffective to address health inequalities. Addressing structural factors is essential to avoid unintended consequences such as increasing the gap between groups of people. However, one way to extend healthy life expectancy is to improve overall health, including differences in the health status of groups due to differences in region and socioeconomic status.

Temporal and individual variation in the feeding habits of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus).

Foraging plays a vital role in the survival of wildlife, and shifts in food availability can impact species fitness and survival. Ursids are known to consume a wide variety of foods and are known to be opportunistic omnivores. Consequently, seasonal shifts in diet, which correspond to temporal and spatial shifts in the availability of food resources, have long captivated researchers studying the foraging behavior of Ursidae. Nevertheless, comprehensive dietary studies encompassing both the population and individual levels remain scarce. In this study, we investigated the dietary patterns of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) at both the population and individual levels, using data collected through GPS collars and field surveys of individual bear scat samples in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, from 2016 to 2020. From early April to late June, bears mainly foraged on green vegetation. During this period, male and large-bodied female bears showed a strong preference for green vegetation. Small-bodied female bears also ate mostly green vegetation but tended to consume more fruit than other bears towards the end of this period. From June to October, bears' diets included a substantial amount of fruit, with notable peaks in fruit consumption in late June and early September. During the summer months, female bears often incorporated social insects into their diet compared to the population-level trend. In mid-September, the consumption of seeds from the Fagaceae family surged, becoming the primary dietary component during this period. This trend was consistently observed across the population. These findings underscore the importance conducting in-depth dietary analyses that take into account individual characteristics such as sex, age, and body weight.

Impact of dietary habits on renal function in Saku, a rural Japanese town: a cohort study.

High protein intake leads to a decline in renal function in the advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). An effective diet for maintaining renal function in healthy individuals or patients in the early stages of CKD has not been established. This cohort study was conducted in Saku, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, to investigate the impact of dietary habits on renal function. In this cross-sectional cohort study, we used the Saku Control Obesity Program (UMIN000016892), including 4,446 participants who submitted a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire and underwent routine physical examination. The amount of food intake was divided into quartiles. After adjusting for age and sex, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) for the risk of developing CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] < 60mL/min/1.73 m2). In total, 3,899 participants were analyzed. The overall prevalence of patients with eGFR < 60mL/min/1.73 m2 was 11% (n = 434, male; 7.1%, female; 4.1%). The groups with a high intake of chicken (approximately 63.4g/day, adjusted OR: 0.632, P = 0.003), natto (fermented bean; approximately 21.7g/day, adjusted OR: 0.679, P = 0.01), and plant protein (approximately 0.8g/ideal body weight/day, adjusted OR: 0.695, P = 0.042) showed a low risk of developing CKD compared to the group with the lowest intake. Our cross-sectional study showed that the intake of chicken meat, natto, and plant protein was associated with high eGFR levels. This information can be of value for preventing CKD incidence in healthy Japanese individuals.

Developing behavioral models of citizens for adapting to and mitigating climate change: a study on four prefectures in Japan

Individual behaviors of citizens are important for implementing the necessary measures for adapting to climate change. However, studies on the adaptive behaviors of ordinary citizens are limited. Therefore, in this study, we developed behavioral models to understand individual behaviors for adaption to and mitigation of climate change. We compared four behavior groups, namely, G1, individual mitigation; G2, individual adaptive; G3, long-term adaptive; and G4, solar-energy system installation behaviors. Following a questionnaire survey for the four behavioral groups, behavioral models were developed using structural equation modeling, which considered psychological factors along with selected attitudes, perceived effectiveness, norms, benefits, practicality, and intention. Furthermore, we considered the recognition and attribution of local climate change as key factors for adaptation behaviors toward local climate change. The behaviors of citizens in four prefectures in Japan, namely, Nagano, Tokyo, Saitama, and Kanagawa were considered. Among them, Nagano Prefecture, wherein the implementation of adaptation measures was at a low level while that of mitigation measures was at a high level, showed a differing trend. In the behavioral models, the recognition of local climate change directly affected the behavior of citizens in the individual adaptive behavior group. In both the individual adaptive and long-term adaptive behavior groups, the impact of benefits was substantial, with significant differences across local areas. Thus, effective adaptation strategies might involve tangible and familiar examples demonstrating the consequences of behavior, thus enhancing citizens' behavior evaluation perception and fostering its acceptance as a desirable behavior. Tailoring adaptation strategies to specific local contexts might also be necessity. To encourage citizens to adapt to climate change and its impacts, we propose two-way efforts, instead of providing one-way information, by supporting citizens to think about self-help and mutual help effectively. Our study can serve as a reference for future studies focusing on citizen behavior about climate change mitigation and enhance their adaptation for locally implemented strategies.

Prognostic Value of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in Previously Untreated Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with a Combination Therapy of Anti-PD-1/-PD-L1 Antibodies and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Introduction: Combination therapy of anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies and platinum-based chemotherapy has been widely used as a first-line treatment for patients with unresectable advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in clinical settings; however, prognostic biomarkers associated with survival outcomes have not been sufficiently investigated. Methods: We enrolled 147 previously untreated patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with a combination therapy of anti-PD-1/-PD-L1 antibodies and platinum-based chemotherapy at eight institutions in Nagano Prefecture between December 2018 and April 2023. We evaluated the prognostic value of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), a systemic inflammatory nutritional biomarker calculated from body weight and serum albumin level, for patients with NSCLC treated with a combination therapy of anti-PD-1/-PD-L1 antibodies and platinum-based chemotherapy. Results: The cutoff value of the GNRI was set at 92. The high GNRI and low GNRI groups included 88 and 59 patients, respectively. The median follow-up period was 15.9 months. The overall survival (OS) in the high GNRI group was significantly longer than that in the low GNRI group (27.9 vs. 15.6 months, p = 0.015). Multivariate analysis revealed that a high GNRI was an independently favorable prognostic predictor for OS (hazard ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–2.86; p = 0.031). Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that the GNRI is a useful prognostic predictor in patients with NSCLC treated with a combination therapy of anti-PD-1/-PD-L1 antibodies and platinum-based chemotherapy in clinical settings.

Estimation of Return Level for Maximum Daily and Hourly Precipitation in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, Using the Extreme Value Theory

Estimation of Return Level for Maximum Daily and Hourly Precipitation in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, Using the Extreme Value Theory

Impact of tailored message notifications for frailty prevention in older adults: a quasi-randomized controlled study using a regression discontinuity design.

[Purpose] This study investigated the potential of tailored message notifications based on municipal health check-up results to improve pre-frailty and frailty in older adults. [Participants and Methods] This study was conducted in Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, by using the Kihon Checklist to assess the health status of older adults. Since 2019, Iiyama City has sent notifications to individuals with pre-frailty (Kihon Checklist score: 4-7) and frailty (Kihon Checklist score: ≥8). A regression discontinuity design was used to estimate the effects of the intervention by comparing the groups with scores just above and below the cutoff points. Data from 6,382 individuals aged ≥65 years from 2019 to 2022 were analyzed. [Results] The intervention slightly improved the Kihon Checklist scores in the pre-frailty group. No statistically significant effects were observed in the frailty group or after multiple imputations for missing data. [Conclusion] The findings suggest that tailored message notifications can improve frailty prevention among pre-frail older adults. However, the limited frequency and content of these messages may have reduced their effectiveness. Therefore, more frequent and targeted messages are needed to address the needs of frail individuals.

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.&#x0D; 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.&#x0D; 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.&#x0D; 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.

Species‐specific foraging behavior and diets of stream salmonids: An implication for negative impacts on native charr by nonnative trout in Japanese mountain streams

AbstractSalmonids have been introduced globally as a food source and recreational fishing target. In Japan, brown trout (Salmo trutta) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were introduced in the 19th century and have since spread. In many headwater streams, native white‐spotted charr (Salvelinus leucomaenis) are thought to be experiencing negative impacts from these species. The current study examined foraging behavior, microhabitat use, and diet overlap of these three species in Kamikochi, Nagano Prefecture: one of Japan's premier mountain areas. In Kamikochi, many spring‐fed headwater streams are currently dominated by these invasive salmonids and white‐spotted charr have declined drastically over the last half century. Underwater video analysis revealed that while total foraging rates and foraging modes were similar between the three species, brook trout and white‐spotted charr foraged benthically more frequently than brown trout. Microhabitat water depth and flow velocity were similar between species, and fish size had a positive effect on water depth and flow velocity in all three species. Diet analysis indicated that brook trout and white‐spotted charr diets were nearly identical, comprised primary of aquatic invertebrates, while brown trout preyed on a mix of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, as well as amphibians and fish. These results indicate that in Kamikochi, the decline of white‐spotted charr is likely most influenced by direct competition with brook trout for prey resources. However, brown trout likely also predate on juvenile white‐spotted charr, while also possibly causing a foraging niche shift of white‐spotted charr, and have ecosystem‐level impacts due to predation on terrestrial prey.

P140: Midlife diet and risk of dementia/mild cognitive impairment

The Japan Public Health Center-based prospective (JPHC) Study is a large population-based cohort. Midlife dietary intake was assessed on two occasions: in the years 1995 and 2000 (aged 45-64 in 1995). In 2014-2015, approximately 1300 participants from Saku district in Nagano prefecture completed a mental health screening including later life depression and cognitive decline (i.e., mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia). We used logistic regression analyses to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for MCI and dementia. Based on this survey, we found the following characteristics of midlife diet, which may be useful information to prevent cognitive decline/dementia.1.High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and later cognitive decline (Svensson et al. Transl Psychiatry, 2019): Midlife high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a measure which could help identify individuals at reduced risk of developing age-related cognitive decline. Compared to the lowest HDL-C quartile, the highest HDL-C quartile was significantly inversely associated with MCI. High HDL-C (quartiles 2-4) was inversely associated with dementia compared to low HDL-C (quartile 1).2.Dietary fish and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and later cognitive decline (Nozaki et al. J Alzheimers Dis, 2021): Higher intake of fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) in midlife significantly reduced risks of dementia.3.Intake of soy and the isoflavone and later cognitive decline (Svensson et al. J Alzheimers Dis, 2021): Compared to the lowest dietary quartile of energy-adjusted isoflavone genistein intake, the highest quartile was significantly associated with late-life cognitive impairment.4.Cancer/diabetes and later cognitive decline (Sadahiro et al. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, 2019): Comorbid cancer and diabetes from midlife may increase the risk of MCI or dementia in later life. In addition to the increased dementia risk associated with diabetes on the basis of insulin resistance, cancer and cancer therapies may also interfere with cognitive function via insulin resistance.

Towards the globally sustainable use of forestlands and wood resources: Estimating fair timber price deriving supply curves in a proven stable state

The long–time gap between planting and harvesting in forestry obscures necessary timber prices to balance with silviculture costs and often causes disproportionate market timber prices. This discrepancy can lead to stagnant timber production in forestry countries and promote global unsustainable land use and timber production. This study presents an approach to estimate fair timber prices that ensure the economic sustainability of timber-producing forest stands. Supply curves are derived numerically under perfect competition and a proven stable forest state; thereby, the curves suggest the fair timber prices for continuously supplying a given mass. An application in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, suggested that the current timber prices are lower than those required to stably supply the current mass. The supply curves also suggested necessary timber price increments and carbon prices to ensure the current supply without subsidy. Furthermore, the need for selecting timber-producing forest stands to stabilize forest management was indicated.

EGFR mutation and ALK fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter prospective cohort study in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

EGFR mutation and ALK fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter prospective cohort study in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Classification of Chubu-region dialects using random forest

The present study investigated how Japanese dialects in Chubu region are classified using random forest (RF) and an adaptive synthetic (ADASYN) sampling approach. We obtained the written-format pronunciations of 22 words from 884 Japanese speakers (average age = 71.1) who had been residing in their birthplaces. We calculated phonetic distance (ALINE distance) between the dialectal and standard Japanese pronunciations, and ran RF models with 1,000 bootstrap samples. The results of the RF models (ROC = 0.953, F1 = 0.68) demonstrated that speakers with a predicted probability greater than 50 percent (n = 415) were generally located in their residing prefectures, suggesting that each prefecture has its own dialect. Speakers with a predicted probability less than 50 percent were located in both their residing prefectures and the vicinities of the prefectures, particularly those in Aichi, Gifu, Shizuoka, Nagano, Gunma, and Niigata prefectures, suggesting that the speakers in the areas share some characteristics of the prefectural dialects. This potentially led to the poor predictions of the speakers. The expansion of these prefectural dialects seems to be limited by the Japanese Alps; dialects spoken on the eastern and western side of the mountain range are generally widespread only in the area, respectively.

Rice Straw Craft Preservation and Development in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Rice Straw Craft Preservation and Development in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Awareness of children's developmental problems and sharing of concerns with parents by preschool teachers and childcare workers: The Japanese context.

This study aims to determine the extent to which preschool teachers and childcare workers are aware of the presence of developmental problems among children and to what extent they share information with parents about their concerns regarding a child's development or diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). We wrote to all 924 preschools and childcare centres in Japan's Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures to request participants. We then sent survey forms to the preschools and childcare centres that agreed to cooperate for three grades comprising 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds in the school year 2020. We asked the staff member in charge of each child to complete the survey. The survey included questions about the teacher's concerns regarding the possibility of an NDD and whether the matter had been shared with the children's parents. We obtained data for 10 354 children from 206 preschools and childcare centres (response rate = 22.3%). Among these children, 457 (4.4%) had an NDD diagnosis that their parents shared with the teachers. However, the teachers of 1274 children (12.3%) had concerns regarding their development but were not informed by the parents about the diagnosis, if any. These 1274 children included 775 (60.8%) cases where the teachers failed to share their concerns with parents because (1) the teachers could not communicate with parents (n = 119), (2) the teachers were not sure if there was a neurodevelopmental problem (n = 360) and (3) the parents were not aware of the problem (n = 296). Preschool teachers and childcare workers had concerns about the development of a substantial proportion of children in their charge. However, teachers and childcare workers did not share their concerns regarding many children's developmental problems with their parents. The findings suggest that there are challenges in information-sharing between teachers/childcare workers and parents.

Predictive Factors Associated with Long-Term Response to Combination Immunotherapy in Patients with Untreated Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Introduction: Combination immunotherapy is widely used in clinical practice as the first-line treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, predictive factors associated with long-term response to combination immunotherapy have not been well investigated. Herein, we compared the clinical findings, including systemic inflammatory nutritional biomarkers, between responders and nonresponders to combination immunotherapy. In addition, we investigated the predictive factors associated with long-term response to combination immunotherapy. Methods: This study included a total of 112 previously untreated advanced NSCLC patients who received combination immunotherapy at eight institutions in Nagano prefecture between December 2018 and April 2021. The responders were defined as those who achieved progression-free survival for 9 months or longer with combined immunotherapy. We evaluated predictive factors associated with long-term response, and the favorable prognostic predictors associated with overall survival (OS) using statistical analyses. Results: The responder and nonresponder groups included 54 and 58 patients, respectively. Compared with the nonresponder group, the responder group had significantly younger age (p = 0.046), higher prognostic nutritional index (44.8 vs. 40.7, p = 0.010), lower C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) (0.17 vs. 0.67, p = 0.001), and a higher rate of complete plus partial response (83.3% vs. 34.5%, p < 0.001). The area under the curve and optimal cut-off value for CAR were 0.691 and 0.215, respectively. The CAR and best objective response were identified as independent favorable prognostic predictors associated with OS in the multivariate analyses. Conclusion: The CAR and best objective response were suggested to be useful predictors of long-term response in NSCLC patients who received combination immunotherapy.

Midlife intake of the isoflavone genistein and soy, and the risk of late-life cognitive impairment: the JPHC Saku Mental Health Study.

The number of people with cognitive impairment, including dementia, in the world is steadily increasing. Although the consumption of isoflavones and soy is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, it might also be associated with cognitive impairment. The low number of studies investigating the association between soy/isoflavone intake and cognitive function warrant additional research. The Japan Public Health Center-based prospective (JPHC) Study is a large population-based cohort. Midlife dietary intake of soy and the isoflavone genistein was assessed on two occasions: in the years 1995 and 2000. In 2014-2015, 1299 participants from Nagano prefecture completed a mental health screening. Of these, a total of 1036 participants were included in analyses. Logistic regression was used to determine Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) for the association between midlife energy-adjusted genistein and soy food intake and cognitive impairment. There were 392 cases of cognitive impairment (346 cases of MCI and 46 cases of dementia). Compared to the lowest dietary quartile of energy-adjusted genistein intake, the highest quartile was significantly associated with cognitive impairment (OR=1.51; 95% CI, 1.02-2.24; p for trend=0.03) in the final multivariable analysis. High midlife intake of the isoflavone genistein is associated with late-life cognitive impairment.