Oita Prefecture Research Articles

Young Contingent Workers and Employment Support of Job Café in Oita Prefecture

Young Contingent Workers and Employment Support of Job Café in Oita Prefecture

F301 大分県下の中小企業における過重労働対策の現状についての調査(第1報)(中小企業安全衛生,一般演題:口演,地方の時代の産業保健,第79回日本産業衛生学会)

F301 大分県下の中小企業における過重労働対策の現状についての調査(第1報)(中小企業安全衛生,一般演題:口演,地方の時代の産業保健,第79回日本産業衛生学会)

Links between Bronchial Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis in the Oita Prefecture, Japan

Recent studies have strengthened the concept that bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis are manifestations of an inflammatory process within a continuous airway. This study was performed to compare clinical findings in asthma with or without rhinitis in Japan. Nasal symptoms were present in 99.6% of asthma patients. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in patients with asthma was 52.4%. Bronchial asthma attacks in one third of patients with rhinitis were coincident with worsening of nasal symptoms. In adults (> 16 years of age), rhinitis frequently preceded asthma, whereas asthma preceded rhinitis in children (< 16 years of age). The frequency of rhinitis in asthma decreases with increasing age. This study demonstrated a clear link between upper and lower airway disorders in Japan.

Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation for acute angle closure not treated or previously treated by laser iridotomy

To determine the effect of phacoemulsification, aspiration, and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in eyes with acute angle closure or eyes with prior laser iridotomy for acute angle closure. Department of Ophthalmology, Oita Prefectural Hospital, Oita, Japan. Eighteen eyes with acute angle closure and 8 eyes with cataracts that had a prior acute angle closure treated by laser iridotomy had phacoemulsification, aspiration, and IOL. A third group that had phacoemulsification, aspiration, and IOL for cataracts only served as controls. The preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressures (IOPs), visual acuities, and number of antiglaucoma medications were compared between these 3 groups. The mean IOPs in the eyes with phacoemulsification, aspiration, and IOL alone and the eyes with prior acute angle closure treated by laser iridotomy were decreased significantly after phacoemulsification, aspiration, and IOL. The mean IOPs in the control group also decreased, but not significantly. There was no significant difference in the postoperative IOP between the 3 groups. The postoperative visual acuities were improved significantly in the 3 groups, and the differences in the final visual acuities were not significant. Postoperatively, the antiglaucoma medication was not needed in the phacoemulsification, aspiration, and IOL-alone group, but medication was necessary in eyes treated previously with laser iridotomy. Phacoemulsification with IOL implantation lowered IOP, improved visual acuity, and diminished the need for antiglaucoma medication in eyes with acute angle closure and with a prior acute angle closure treated by laser iridotomy.

1218 地方のための理科教材としてのスターリングエンジン(S91-2 大学教育,S91 技術教育・工学教育)

The stirling engine planed for science teaching in Oita region is introduced, and how the stirling engine should be developed for science teaching is proposed. Three rules are provided for the way to making the stirling engine as science teaching material for Oita region. The rules are 1) all the materials and tools are bought in the store distributed in whole of Oita Prefecture 2) No use of machine tools 3) Heat source for driving stirling engine must not be frame. Prototypes of the stirling engine have been demonstrated in two exhibitions held in Oita university. Based on the experience of the exhibitions, new concept stirling engine is required.

Skin Cancer Screening on a Fishing Island and in an Inland Agricultural Area of Japan

We performed skin cancer screening from 2000 to 2004 at two locations in Japan's Oita Prefecture: Himeshima, a small fishing island, and Naoiri, an inland agricultural area. We found 108 and 21 cases of AK in Himeshima and Naoiri, respectively. None of the AKs transformed into SCC, and 21.7% of the AKs underwent spontaneous remission during our observation period. The prevalence and incidence of AK in Himeshima were five times higher than in Naoiri: 1,399 and 826 per 100,000 population, respectively, in the fishing village, vs. 261 and 164 in the agricultural community. Seven and three cases of BCC were observed in Himeshima and Naoiri, respectively. There were two cases of SCC in Himeshima. The highest risk ratio of skin types I to III was 9.2 in Himeshima. Although people engaged in outdoor occupations are thought to be more prone to skin cancer and precancerous skin lesions, our results suggested different potentials for AK in people engaged in different outdoor occupations.

Diagnosis of Mungbean (vigna radiate) Bradyrhizobia Isolated from Kyushu Island of Japan Based on Whole Cellular Fatty Acid Analysis

Previous studies have already reported that cellular fatty acid analysis is a useful taxonomic tool for classifying and identifying Bradyrhizobium strains. In this study, the fatty acid profiles of 13 strains of MAFF collections and 36 strains collected from Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, Kumamoto and Kagoshima Prefecture belonging to unknown species of Bradyrhizobium were evaluated. Total 1 1 fatty acids were identified and qualitative and quantitative variations of fatty acid compositions were observed. Data of fatty acid compositions obtained from each strain was statistically investigated by PCA and PCGMA clustering. Statistical analysis showed that the dominant five distinct clusters were formed and conveniently grouped as FAG-1 to FAG-V. FAG-1 and FAG-ll strains were closely relationships to the strain of B. elkanii. FAG-HI and FAG-V strains were relevant to the strain of B. japonicum. On the other hand, FAG-IV strains isolated from mungbean root nodules were clustered wlth B. japo?~icum FAG-EI and FAG-V but obviously different compositions of fatty acid and distinguishable to these two subgrou ps.

Purification and characterization of hyperthermotolerant leucine aminopeptidase from Geobacillus thermoleovorans 47b

A thermophilic bacterium, which we designated as Geobacillus thermoleovorans 47b was isolated from a hot spring in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, Japan, on the basis of its ability to grow on bitter peptides as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. The cell-free extract from G. thermoleovorans 47b contained leucine aminopeptidase (LAP; EC 3.4.11.10), which was purified 164-fold to homogeneity in seven steps, using ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by the column chromatography using DEAE-Toyopearl, hydroxyapatite, MonoQ and Superdex 200 PC gel filtration, followed again by MonoQ and hydroxyapatite. The enzyme was a single polypeptide with a molecular mass of 42,977.2 Da, as determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization and time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and was found to be thermostable at 90 degrees C for up to 1 h. Its optimal pH and temperature were observed to be 7.6-7.8 and 60 degrees C, respectively, and it had high activity towards the substrates Leu-p-nitroanilide (p-NA)(100%), Arg-p-NA (56.3%) and LeuGlyGly (486%). The K(m) and V(max) values for Leu-p-NA and LeuGlyGly were 0.658 mM and 25.0 mM and 236.2 micromol min(-1) mg(-1) protein and 1,149 micromol min(-1) mg(-1) protein, respectively. The turnover rate (k(cat)) and catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/ K(m)) for Leu-p-NA and LeuGlyGly were 10,179 s(-1) and 49,543 s(-1) and 15,470 mM(-1 ) s(-1) and 1981.7 mM(-1 ) s(-1), respectively. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by EDTA, 1,10-phenanthroline, dithiothreitol, beta-mercaptoethanol, iodoacetate and bestatin; and its apoenzyme was found to be reactivated by Co(2+) .

Applying the Rothamsted Carbon Model for Long-Term Experiments on Japanese Paddy Soils and Modifying It by Simple Tuning of the Decomposition Rate

We applied the Rothamsted Carbon Model (RothC), which was developed for simulating the soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover in non-waterlogged soils, for long-term experiments (16–22 years) on Japanese paddy soils and modified it to accurately simulate the changes in the content of SOC with time in paddy soils. The RothC underestimated the SOC content in all the nine plots at five sites: Gley Soils in Akita and Shimane, Gray Lowland Soils in Toyama and Mie, and Yellow Soil in Oita prefecture. This may be mainly due to the slow decomposition rate of organic matter during the rice-growing season, when submerged soils are waterlogged and subjected to anaerobic conditions. On the other hand, the decomposition of organic matter might be inhibited, not only during the submergence period but also throughout the year in paddy soils because of the difference in the composition of microorganisms between upland and paddy soils. Taking these possibilities of differences in the decomposition rate between upland soils and paddy soils into account, we changed the decomposition rates of the RothC during the submergence period (summer) and the period without submergence (winter), separately. We ran the model many times by changing the decomposition rates for summer and winter separately and tried to identify the optimum combinations of the values of the factors required to change the default decomposition rate, so that the modeled SOC content would be consistent with the values observed in nine plots at five experimental sites. To determine the optimum combinations of the values of the factors, we used two statistical indices, the root mean square error (RMSE), which represents the degree of coincidence, and the mean difference (M), which is a measure of model bias. We found that the optimum combination of the values of the factors required to change the decomposition rate was 0.2 in summer and 0.6 in winter. The modified RothC for paddy soils by simple tuning of the decomposition rate using the values of the factors (0.2 and 0.6) resulted in a much better performance than that of the original RothC for simulating the changes in the SOC content with time in Japanese paddy soils under various climatic conditions, types of soil texture, and management systems. This modified model can be used for the estimation of carbon loss from soils as well as for the planning of suitable organic matter management, at least in Japanese paddy soils.

Cercariae of a species of Philophthalmus detected in a freshwater snail, Semisulcospira libertina, in Japan

Cercariae belonging to the genus Philophthalmus (Digenea: Philophthalmidae) were detected in a freshwater snail Semisulcospira libertina collected from Innai Town, Oita Prefecture, Kyusyu, Japan. This is the first record of the cercaria of this genus from East Asia and from Semisulcospira. Daughter rediae and cercariae are briefly described and morphologically compared with similar but unidentified ones reported from Japan. Cercariae were found encysting on the surface of the bottom of the container and metamorphosed into a flask-like metacercaria characteristic of Philophthalmus.

ミカンキイロアザミウマおよびヒラズハナアザミウマ大分個体群のトマト黄化えそウイルス媒介虫率

We examined efficiencies of transmission of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) by two thrips species, Frankliniella occidentalis and Frankliniella intonsa collected in green bell pepper fields in Oita Prefecture. Two populations of F occidentalis, Kokuragi and Koshoji, showed different transmission efficiencies (27.5% and 62.0%, respectively). An F. intonsa population collected in Koshoji transmitted the virus with a high efficiency (58.7%). These findings suggest that F. occidentalis and F. intonsa populations with high TSWV transmission efficiencies may play a role in severe epidemics of TSWV in green bell pepper fields in Oita Prefecture.

The Community-based Management of Coastal Fisheries in Himeshima, Oita Prefecture, Japan

In recent arguments about fisheries management, the community-based approach has attracted more attention. The aim of this paper is to investigate the content and meanings of the fisheries management carried out by a coastal community with various fisheries, and moreover to examine the dynamic aspects of the management, considering changes in the environment and changes in its use. The study area is Himeshima, Oita Prefecture, an island whose economy has been highly dependent on small-scale coastal fisheries. The fishermen there have constituted the 'Gyogyo-kisetsu', a written code of fishing activities, under a fisheries cooperative association.The case studied in this paper is the fishing ground regulations, that is to say, the spatial restrictions of fishing ground use on the offshore fixed gill net fishery in the Gyogyo-kisetsu. The fishery became popular in the late 1960s and detailed fishing ground regulations have been applied to it as the fixed nets occupy the sea widely.Examination of the contents of these regulations reveals that they have been constituted and carried out mainly for adjustment between the gill net fishery and other fisheries. The operations of 'weaker' fisheries or conventional fisheries, such as the angling fishery, the longline fishery and the surrounding seine fishery, on important fishing grounds, have been protected by the adjustment. In introducing the modern gill net fishery, it was crucial for the community to develop regulations too enable the coexistence of old and new fisheries and to avoid conflicts. In addition, such adjustment has been sometimes related to the conservation of fishery resources and important fishing grounds.On the other hand, the environment and the use of the fishing grounds where the gill net fishery is regulated have not remained static but have sometimes undergone big changes up to the present day. Distinct examples are the sharp decrease in sand lance and the decline of some conventional fisheries, influencing the state of fishing ground use.Despite these changes, each fishing ground regulation on the gill net fishery has been kept in the Gyogyo-kisetsu up to the present day since it was established, even though its actual function or meanings can be somewhat flexible and variable. These facts show that the regulations have been maintained and carried out in an imbalanced relationship with the fishing ground environment or the fishing ground use affected by fluctuations. Examination of such dynamic aspects of the regulations indicates some vagueness or ambiguity inherent in the management carried out in the relationship with an uncertain environment.

大分県産二条大麦「ニシノホシ」の焼酎用特性に関する調査

大分県産二条大麦「ニシノホシ」の焼酎用特性に関する調査

Landslide Disasters at Kokonoe and Hita, Oita Prefecture on 10 July 2005 occurred by Heavy Downpours with the Baiu Front

Landslide Disasters at Kokonoe and Hita, Oita Prefecture on 10 July 2005 occurred by Heavy Downpours with the Baiu Front

長洲漁港におけるしゅんせつ土砂投入に関する漁場環境影響評価調査

At the Nagasu fishing port of Oita Prefecture, the field survey on environmental-impact-assessment was carried out before and after dumping dredged sand into the shallow sea area. As comparing both field survey results, influence on fishing ground environment by dumping dredged sand into the shallow area was examined and evaluated. As a result of measuring the number of species and individuals and the amount of wet-weight of macro benthos in both bottom material, it showed that the condition of macro benthos of bottom material after dumping was almost similar to that before dumping. Therefore, it is considered that the influence of dumping dredged sand into shallow sea area around Nagasu Fishing Port would be temporary and little impact. In addition, planning the time of dumping dredged sand in this area, the consideration of avoiding the time of larva and juvenile of Marbled sole (Pleuronectes yokohamae) and the time of cultivate laver would be required.

Monilia mumecola, a new brown rot fungus on Prunus mume in Japan

In 1982, an anamorphic fungus in the genus Monilia was first isolated as the causal agent of brown rot disease of Japanese apricot or mume (Prunus mume) in Oita Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. Inoculation of flowers, shoots, and fruit of P. mume with the fungus reproduced brown rot disease symptoms similar to those found in nature. The fungus somewhat resembled the colony appearance of Monilinia (anamorph Monilia) laxa, the apricot brown rot fungus, on PSA plates, but it differed from the latter and the other two brown rot fungi, M. fructigena and M. fructicola, in terms of growth rate, temperature optima for mycelial growth and sporulation, morphology and germination pattern of conidia, nuclear number in the conidium, and nucleotide sequences in the ITS region of ribosomal DNA. It is newly described as Monilia mumecola Y. Harada, Y. Sasaki & T. Sano. A key to anamorphic states of four brown rot fungi of fruit trees is provided.

Historical Material showing the Tsunami of the October 28, 1707 and the November 24, 1854 Earthquakes in Yonozu Village, southern Oita Prefecture, Southwest Japan

Historical Material showing the Tsunami of the October 28, 1707 and the November 24, 1854 Earthquakes in Yonozu Village, southern Oita Prefecture, Southwest Japan

Occurrence of saxitoxins as a major toxin in the ovary of a marine puffer Arothron firmamentum

Eleven male and 14 female specimens of a marine puffer Arothron firmamentum were collected from Oita and Iwate Prefectures, Japan. The toxicity assay using mouse showed that only ovary and skin of the female specimens were toxic, the toxicity scores being 5–740 as paralytic shellfish poison and <5–30 MU/g as tetrodotoxin (TTX), respectively. The toxin extracts from the both tissues were then treated with cartridge columns, and subjected to high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectral analyses. In the analyses, saxitoxin (STX) and decarbamoylSTX (dcSTX) were identified as the major toxins in the ovary, while the skin contained only TTX.

DEVELOPMENT OF NEARSHORE CIRCULATION SYSTEM AROUND TIDAL FLAT OFF THE RIVER MOUTH AND INFLUENCES OF CONSTRUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURES

Nearshore circulation induced by wave breaking under the low and mean tide conditions around the tidal flat was investigated by the calculation of waves and nearshore currents, taking the tidal flat in Moriye Bay in Oita Prefecture as the example. The development of longshore currents toward thebay bottom was confirmed by accretion and erosion condition on the beach in the short-term and the formation of sand spit in the very shallow water surrounding the tidal flat in the long-term. It is concluded that construction of artificial structures such as port breakwaters remarkably obstructed continuous water circulation in the bay, resulting in the retardation of diffusion of fluvial sediment on the tidal flat.

Agriculture, Soil Science and Plant Nutrition in Oita Prefecture : Soil Improvements for Safety and Security on Farm Produces

Agriculture, Soil Science and Plant Nutrition in Oita Prefecture : Soil Improvements for Safety and Security on Farm Produces