Oita Prefecture Research Articles

Pretraining and Precredentialing Staff for Disaster: A Lesson Learned From the Experience of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes.

The integration of external staff into a hospital's disaster response can present technical challenges. Although hospitals will always prefer to use their own staff in disaster response, there have been many historical examples where external staffing is required. During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes, the Oita Prefectural Hospital required medical professionals to expand disaster response staff. They were able to identify 2 appropriate emergency physicians belonging to a remote hospital who had previously worked at the Oita Prefectural hospital. The physicians were effectively able to supplement the hospital staff, providing care for additional patients, and giving the existing on-duty staff some respite. Based on our experience, we suggest that hospital coalitions and disaster response authorities explore mechanisms of cross-credentialing and cross-training staff to make it easier to share staff in a disaster.

Impact of Mobile Cloud Electrocardiography System on Door-to-Balloon Time in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome in Oita Prefecture.

Background: The mobile cloud electrocardiography (C-ECG) system is useful for reducing door-to-balloon (DTB) time in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but few studies have reported the usefulness of the C-ECG system across a wide provincial prefecture, such as Oita, in Japan.Methods and Results: On 17 April 2017, the C-ECG system was integrated into the Oita remote image transmission system, in 10 ambulances of 10 respective fire departments in Oita Prefecture. During 6 months, 162 ECG indicating suspected ACS were transmitted to 18 hospitals using the C-ECG system. Of 162 patients, 17 who received emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were assigned to the cloud group (mean age, 71±11 years). The control group consisted of 29 consecutive ACS patients who were transported to Oita University Hospital without using the C-ECG system (mean age, 66±12 years). Another 40 consecutive patients were diagnosed with ACS before transportation to Oita University Hospital, and were assigned to the diagnosed group (mean age, 70±14 years). DTB time (70±26 min vs. 96±24 min, P<0.005) and door-to-catheterization laboratory time (33±20 min vs. 53±22 min, P<0.0001) were shorter in the cloud group than in the control group, respectively.Conclusions: C-ECG system integration in Oita Prefecture was useful to appropriately transfer ACS patients to hospital and to facilitate earlier PCI than in the conventional diagnostic system.

Survey of agricultural reservoirs damaged by the July 2017 torrential rains in northern Kyushu, Japan

The torrential rains that hit northern Kyushu, Japan, on July 5–6, 2017, caused serious damage, especially in Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and in Hita City, Oita Prefecture. The primary meteorological mechanism that caused these torrential rains can be summarized as record-breaking heavy rains caused by linear rainbands in northern Kyushu. These heavy rains triggered hillside collapse, with the massive volume of driftwood and soil destroying downstream areas. Shortly after the immediate damage caused by the torrential rains was confirmed, the agricultural reservoirs were suspected to have exacerbated the flood damage in downstream areas. However, it is considered that the reservoirs helped mitigate flood impacts. To verify the disaster mitigation effect of the reservoirs on these torrential rains, the Japan Society of Irrigation, Drainage and Rural Engineering organized a survey team to investigate the damaged agricultural reservoirs in Asakura City. From the survey, four of 11 surveyed reservoirs were confirmed ravaged because of the massive driftwood and soil volume from the hillside area. However, the other reservoirs remained intact, and two distinctive characteristics were found to have helped prevent the flood from worsening. One was the reservoirs’ capacity to store soil; they had a large water capacity, and their strong walls kept the soil inside at their full water level. The other was spillway type and location. The reservoirs that had side-overflow spillways were able to discharge driftwood. Therefore, the water storage capacity of the reservoirs, dike strength, and spillway type and location are important factors that may help mitigate flooding.

Conodont-based age calibration of the Middle Triassic Anisian radiolarian biozones in pelagic deep-sea bedded chert

The age of pelagic Panthalassic deep-sea bedded chert has been assigned based on radiolarian biostratigraphy. However, Triassic radiolarian biostratigraphy is in many cases not precisely correlated to the conodont zones and the standard geological timescale. In this study, we investigated the conodont biostratigraphy of two radiolarian-controlled bedded chert sections of Anisian age: the Ajiro Island section in Oita Prefecture and the Kurusu section in Aichi Prefecture. We recognised six conodont biozones in the studied sections: the upper Olenekian Novispathodus brevissimus-Icriospathodus collinsoni and Triassospathodus homeri Zones, the lower Anisian Chiosella timorensis Zone, the middle Anisian Paragondolella bulgarica Zone, the upper Anisian Paragondolella excelsa Zone and the uppermost Anisian to lowermost Ladinian Paragondolella trammeri Zone. These conodont zones were successfully correlated to the standard Triassic radiolarian zonation proposed by Sugiyama (1997, Bull. Mizunami Foss. Mus., vol. 24, p. 79–193). Sugiyama’s radiolarian TR 1 Zone, previously considered to be of Olenekian age, extends to the middle Anisian. The TR 2A Zone, the TR 2B Zone and the lower part of the TR 2C Zone are correlated to the middle Anisian, while the upper part of the TR 2C Zone and the lower part of the TR 3A Zone are correlated to the upper Anisian. The upper part of the TR 3A Zone and the lower part of the TR 3B Zone are probably correlative to the uppermost Anisian, but the possibility that they are correlative to the lowermost Ladinian cannot be ruled out.

Age and growth from Oita and Miyagi Prefectures of Japanese jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus

The age and growth of Japanese jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus from Oita and Miyagi Prefectures were investigated by means of otolith sectioning. Different types of opaque zones were formed in summer and winter, respectively. The age composition and growth formulas were examined and compared for Oita (2007–2008) and Miyagi (2016–2017) Prefectures from individual age data. We determined that the age–length relationships and parameters for the von Bertalanffy growth function from Oita and Miyagi Pref. were, respectively, L∞ = 342 and 305 mm and k = 0.673 and 0.634 year−1. In Oita Pref., most fish with a fork length (FL) of approximately 180–200 mm were 1+ years of age, while older fish (7+) were rare. In Miyagi Pref., many fish were 3–6+ years of age. Older fish (over 7+ years) accounted for approximately one quarter of the total. These differences in the growth curve and age composition may be reflected by discrepancies in the fishing gears, and multiple life cycle patterns of the Pacific stock which has been unknown.

Development of Low Cost Beef Breeding Management in Oita Prefecture

Development of Low Cost Beef Breeding Management in Oita Prefecture

Theoretical Model Construction and Empirical Verification of Protective Action Decision Making during Disaster: Structural Equation Modeling of the Social Survey on Landslide Disasters in Oita Prefecture

Theoretical Model Construction and Empirical Verification of Protective Action Decision Making during Disaster: Structural Equation Modeling of the Social Survey on Landslide Disasters in Oita Prefecture

Large-scale web investigation of hot spring and home bathing in Oita prefecture

Large-scale web investigation of hot spring and home bathing in Oita prefecture

Genotyping of The FGD3 Gene in Japanese Black Cattle Bred in Oita Prefecture

Genotyping of The <i>FGD3</i> Gene in Japanese Black Cattle Bred in Oita Prefecture

Water Quality Changes of Hot Spring Waters in Oita Prefecture by Kumamoto Earthquake and Aso Eruption in 2016

Water Quality Changes of Hot Spring Waters in Oita Prefecture by Kumamoto Earthquake and Aso Eruption in 2016

Predictability of Precipitation Caused by Linear Precipitation Systems During the July 2017 Northern Kyushu Heavy Rainfall Event Using a Cloud-Resolving Numerical Weather Prediction Model

Torrential rainfall associated with linear precipitation systems occurred in Northern Kyushu, Japan, during July 5–6, 2017, causing severe damage in Fukuoka and Oita Prefectures. According to our statistical survey using ground rain gauges, the torrential rainfall was among the heaviest in recorded history for 6- and 12-h accumulated rainfall, and was unusual because heavy rain continued locally for nine hours. The predictability of precipitation associated with linear precipitation systems for this event was investigated using a cloud-resolving numerical weather prediction model with a horizontal grid interval of 1 km. The development of multiple linear precipitation systems was predicted in experiments whose initial calculation time was from several hours to immediately before the torrential rain (9:00, 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00 Japan Standard Time on July 5), although there were some displacement errors in the predicted linear precipitation systems. However, the stationary linear precipitation systems were not properly predicted. The predictions showed that the linear precipitation systems formed one after another and moved eastwards. In the relatively accurate prediction whose initial time was 12:00 on July 5, immediately before the torrential rainfall began, the forecast accuracy was evaluated using the 6-h accumulated precipitation (P6h) from 12:00 to 18:00 on July 5, the period of the heaviest rainfall. The average of the P6h in an area 100 km×40 km around the torrential rainfall area was nearly the same for the analysis and the prediction, indicating that the total precipitation amount around the torrential rainfall area was predictable. The result of evaluating the quantitative prediction accuracy using the Fractions Skill Score (FSS) indicated that a difference in location of 25 km (50 km) or greater should be allowed for in the models to produce useful predictions (those defined as having an FSS ≥0.5) for the accumulated rainfall of P6h ≥50 mm (150 mm). The quantitative prediction accuracy examined in this study can be basic information to investigate the usage of predicted precipitation data.

ANALYSIS OF HEAVY RAIN FROM TYPHOON NUMBER 3 (2017) USING X-BAND MULTIPARAMETER RADAR DATA, KYUSHU, JAPAN

Abstract. The heavy rain on 5–6 July of 2017 was generated by the seasonal rain front that lingered from 30 June until 4 July, and by typhoon No.3 in the Kyushu northern part of Japan (Fukuoka and Oita Prefectures) which occurred at 09:00 on July 2. Such heavy rain caused serious disasters (landslides and flooding). During the large-scale downpour, 2617 damaged dwellings and 39 deaths were recorded in Oita and Fukuoka Prefectures. A new radar system, the X-band MP radar system, provides more detailed rainfall observations than C-band radar, but its special data structure precludes an easy data processing by geographical information systems (GISs) and other software. To overcome this difficulty, we developed an original software that is compatible with GIS. The rainfall amount accumulated by a monitoring system is useful in disaster prevention, as dangerous levels of the accumulated rainfall provide a warning signal.

Mobilities of the One-Product policy from Japan to Thailand: a critical policy study of OVOP and OTOP

ABSTRACTThe One Village One Product (OVOP) movement was a policy implemented in 1980 in Oita Prefecture, Japan. It was used as a basis for crafting the One Tambon One Product (OTOP) policy in Thailand. In this study, the policy mobilities approach is used, as opposed to traditional policy transfer approaches, which are rooted in neoclassical economics. The policy mobilities approach proves itself more useful for analyzing the cross-scalar pattern of the study case. After a brief explanation of the original movement in Oita Prefecture, the issue of the transfer of the programme from Japan to Thailand is discussed. This first includes an analysis of the motivations for implementing and using the programme. An examination of how the Japanese local and national authorities responded to the Thai demands is then made. Two-tier diplomacy influenced the policy movement process by conveying the different meanings and practices of OVOP. These findings are coherent with one of the main claims of the policy mobilities approach, which is that policies evolve as they move. Furthermore, this case study highlights two vectors of policy mobility which also act as poles of policy evolution: the academia–policy-maker nexus and the business–state apparatus.

Sensitivity analysis for optimization of renewable-energy-based air-circulation-type temperature-control system

A detailed investigation of thermal performance of an air-circulation-type temperature-control system to serve as an alternative means of saving energy and heat storage is reported. The proposed system is of the hybrid type combining a central air-conditioning system, system incorporating phase-change material (PCM), and a roof-ventilation layer. The said hybrid system was tested by means of an experiment performed in an actual house located in Yufuin in the Oita prefecture in Japan. Numerical analysis was performed using Hygrabe—an unsteady heat-transfer-analysis tool—for the building envelope. Results of the said experiment were observed to accurately predict the effects of radiative cooling, exhaust cooling, cold storage and release in summer, solar-heat collection, and heat storage and release in winter. The potential for improved operation of the proposed system was demonstrated via parameter sensitivity analysis, which quantified the change in each effect along with resulting correlations deduced based on changes brought about in individual factors, such as air velocity, roof length, and PCM box. The proposed study, therefore, facilitates development of design guidelines for temperature-control systems to be installed in high-performance passive homes.

Stratosphere Observation Project Using a Small Balloon

Global warming continues to be a major concern around the world. The Integrated System Engineering Lab in Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) launched a small balloon to the stratosphere to study the ozone layer and greenhouse gases in order to understand global warming. It is a part of the Project Based Learning (PBL) course in KIT. The project mission objectives were to obtain photographs and video of the Earth surface and space and to perform measurement of the ozone gas (O3) and carbon dioxide gas (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere. The payload was launched into the stratosphere using a small balloon. After the balloon exploded at maximum altitude, the payload descended using a parachute before being recovered at sea. This project was divided into three (3) groups which were the structure, electrical and transmission team. Simulation of the flight path was performed to aid in recovering the payload. The project started from April 2016 and the balloon was successfully launched on October 30, 2016 from Saiki in the Oita prefecture of Kyushu, Japan. This paper will describe the procedure and result of this project.

The overview of the Yabakei landslide occurred on April 11&lt;sup&gt;th &lt;/sup&gt;2018 in Nakatsu city, Oita prefecture, Japan

The overview of the Yabakei landslide occurred on April 11&lt;sup&gt;th &lt;/sup&gt;2018 in Nakatsu city, Oita prefecture, Japan

Seasonal variations of weather conditions on acute myocardial infarction onset: Oita AMI Registry

The onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been reportedly related to weather conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of weather conditions on AMI onset. Our study population consisted of 274 patients enrolled in the Oita AMI Registry who were admitted with AMI between June 2012 and May 2013. We divided the 365days of the year into the four seasons: spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August), autumn (September, October, November), and winter (December, January, February). We classified each day as a day of onset of AMI (onset day) or a day of non-onset of AMI (non-onset day). Information on maximum temperature, minimum temperature, mean humidity, and mean atmospheric pressure was obtained from the Japan Meteorological Agency. In summer, the temperatures and intraday temperature differences were significantly lower on onset days than on non-onset days. Receiver operating characteristic analysis for predicting AMI onset in each season showed that the maximum temperature 2days before AMI onset in summer had the largest area under the curve (AUC = 0.72, p = 0.0005). Our analysis demonstrated that there exist specific weather conditions that influence AMI onset in each season in Oita prefecture. AMI onset in summer was particularly associated with the maximum temperature 2days before AMI onset.

Nipponocypris takayamai, a New Species of Cyprinid Fish from the Nogami Formation (Middle Pleistocene) in the Southern Part of the Kusu Basin, Oita, Japan

A new cyprinid fish, Nipponocypris takayamai sp. nov. is described from the Middle Pleistocene Nogami Formation in Oita Prefecture, Northern Kyushu, Japan. Nipponocypris takayamai differs from its congeners in the following combination of characters: the sensory canal of the parietal not reach to the medial edge of the parietal, and its length longer than half the width of the parietal; the notch of the orbital margin of the frontal weak; the dorsal margin of opercle concave; the posterodorsal margin of the fourth infraorbital L-shaped; the sensory canal of the dentary running slightly ventrally; 42–44 vertebrae; the flanges of the neural spines of the second and third preuralcentra elongated to the dorsal ends of the neural spines; eight supraneurals between the dorsal fin and the supraneural 3 bone; the dorsal fin base located slightly more posterior than the pelvic fin base; first three dorsal fin rays unbranched and unsegmented; eight dorsal fin rays, ten dorsal fin pterygiophores; and eleven anal fin pterygiophores with thirteen anal fin rays. A cladistic analysis suggests that this new species is related to N. sieboldii, N. koreanus and N. temminckii, and is probably the sister taxon to N. temminckii. This new species shows that an extinct species closely related to Recent Nipponocypris existed until the Middle Pleistocene in East Asia.

Complete Sequences of the Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Proviral Genomes from Newly Established Adult T-Cell Leukemia Cell Lines in Oita Prefecture, Japan.

ABSTRACTWe report two complete proviral genome sequences of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) isolated from the peripheral blood specimens of acute type adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patients in Oita Prefecture, Japan.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY: ONE VILLAGE ONE PRODUCT (OVOP) AS AN ENGINE OF LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN JAPAN AND INDONESIA

The One Village One Product (OVOP) is a voluntary local community movement that drives the Local Economic Development (LED) and the revitalization effort, which was initiated in 1979 in Oita prefecture, Japan. The research examines the OVOP approach by comparing the OVOP program in Indonesia, particularly the case study of OVOP in Sragen regency, Central Java province, to the original OVOP program of Oita prefecture in Japan. This study takes Oita as the observation, since Oita is considered as the region in which the OVOP concept is conducted successfully. For that reason, this research is aimed for taking a lesson to be learned and to be applied in Indonesia, in which in Indonesia the respective concept has not so far succeeded. The key feature of the OVOP implementation in Oita is the bottom-up approach that is well adapted in Japanese experience of local economic development. The case studies illustrated that, when it was transferred to Indonesia, the principles of OVOP were not directly copied from the OVOP in Japan. In Indonesia, OVOP was reconfigured into a government program with a top-down approach. This study will mainly focus on comparing both study cases qualitatively. Basically the characteristics OVOP literature reviews are: the History of the Oita-Japan OVOP program, the study about specific programs outside of Japan based on the Oita OVOP model and the study that compares Oita-type programs across countries. However, this paper found a few studies which focus on the particular role of private companies in initiating and maintaining the OVOP programs, as distributors and suppliers, this topic become main research object for the research&#x0D;