Tottori Prefecture Research Articles

Neonicotinoid Insecticide Concentrations Upstream and Downstream of the Sendai River, Tottori Prefecture, Japan

Neonicotinoid Insecticide Concentrations Upstream and Downstream of the Sendai River, Tottori Prefecture, Japan

Association of oral frailty with medical expenditure in older Japanese adults: The study of late-stage older adults in Tottori (START Tottori).

This study aimed to determine the association between annual medical expenses and oral frailty in later-stage older adults (aged ≥ 75 years). No studies have investigated the association between medical costs and oral frailty, which would elucidate the association between oral frailty and the deterioration of mental and overall physical function. In this cross-sectional study, 2190 adults (860 men and 1330 women aged 75-94 years) covered by the Medical System for the Elderly and residing in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, between April 2016 and March 2019, were included. Participants were classified into three groups: healthy, pre-orally frail or orally frail, based on dental health screening findings. The medical and dental expenses over the years, number of days of consultations and comorbidities were obtained from the Japanese Health Insurance Claims Database. The number of days of medical and dental consultations and annual medical expenses for outpatient care differed among the three study groups. A significant association was observed between oral frailty and high annual expenses for outpatient medical and dental care. Oral frailty was associated with higher medical expenses in participants with poor masticatory function. Higher and lower dental expenses were associated with subjective poor masticatory function and subjective impairment of swallowing function respectively. Medical and dental expenses for orally frail older adults are high, indicating that oral frailty may be related to the occurrence and severity of diseases other than oral health issues. Future studies should examine the mechanism by which oral weakness affects physical and mental functions.

Protecting Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus) in the Nawa River Basin, Japan: policy recommendations addressing water pollution and waterway disruption

The Japanese giant salamander, Andrias japonicus, is an iconic but declining species of aquatic amphibian. A population within the Nawa River Basin of Tottori Prefecture persists but faces two significant threats. The first major threat is waterway obstructions, in the form of dams, weirs, and concrete embankments, which severely fragment and degrade the habitat. The second is water pollution, primarily caused by runoff from animal farms. Both threats to A. japonicus can be mitigated with proper actions. We provide science-based recommendations, advocating for the modification of dams and weirs by implementing ladderways to restore habitat connectivity and the provisioning of adequate breeding habitat in the form of artificial nest boxes. We also recommend the implementation of regular water quality monitoring and the enforcement of regulations regarding allowed runoff from animal farms. The Nawa River Basin could also be designated as an official sanctuary area for the Japanese Giant Salamander, lending additional formal protection and providing ecotourism opportunities for economically declining rural areas. Though the threats to A. japonicus are serious, the implementation of these mitigation measures and continual monitoring can allow this remarkable species to thrive.

Association between multimorbidity and utilization of medical and long-term care among older adults in a rural mountainous area in Japan.

With the accelerated population aging, multimorbidity has become an important healthcare issue. However, few studies have examined multimorbidity and its impact on the use of medical and long-term care services in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between multimorbidity and the use of medical and long-term care services among older adults living in the depopulated mountainous areas of Japan. A cross-sectional study was conducted using insurance claims data from late-stage medical insurance and long-term care insurance (April 2017 to March 2018) for older adults ≥75 years residing in a mountainous area in the Tottori prefecture. In addition to the descriptive analysis, multiple generalized linear regressions with family gamma and log-link functions were used to examine the association between the number of morbidities and total annual medical and long-term care expenditures. A total of 970 participants ≥75 years were included in the analysis. Participants who had two or more morbidities constituted 86.5% of the total sample. Furthermore, participants with mental disorders were found to have more comorbidities. The number of comorbidities is associated with higher medical and long-term care expenditures. Multimorbidity was dominant among late-stage older adults living in depopulated mountainous areas of Japan, and the number of morbidities was associated with higher economic costs of medical and long-term care services. Mitigating the impact of multimorbidity among older adults in depopulated regions of Japan is an urgent challenge. Future research should investigate the degree and effectiveness of social protections for vulnerable older adults living in remote areas.

Breast Cancer Screening Behavior among Working Women in Japan: Characteristics and Factors Inhibiting Screening.

Improving breast cancer screening rates is crucial for early detection. However, factors hindering regular screening among working women remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify screening behavior among working women in Japan and associated discouraging factors. Surveys were conducted from April to May 2019 among women aged 40-60 at public offices and companies in Tottori Prefecture. We used two surveys: the "Basic Attributes Questionnaire" and the "Structural Questionnaire on Rejecting Screening." Data analysis involved chi-squared tests, logistic regression analysis, factor analysis, and nonparametric tests. Completed questionnaires analyzed were 668 out of 825 collected (response rate: 81.0%). Most participants were part-time employees with an average age of 51 years. Over 60% reported undergoing regular screening. Logistic regression analysis identified part-time employment, lack of children, a discouraging workplace atmosphere, and absence of personal connections to breast cancer patients as factors associated with avoiding breast cancer screening. Factor analysis identified five factors and 16 items as reasons for not undergoing regular screening. Women who had no spouse, no children or felt that their workplace was not encouraging breast screening felt difficulty in scheduling screening most strongly. Individuals who had part-time employment and had no children, did not know a breast cancer patient, or considered that their workplace environment was not supportive were more likely to avoid undergoing regular breast cancer screening. Also, women who did not undergo regular screening experienced difficulty in scheduling. In the future, the challenge lies in disseminating accurate knowledge about breast cancer to foster awareness without excessive anxiety.

Small half‐graben inferred from a Miocene syn‐rift succession in the Kinbusan area, eastern Tottori Prefecture, Japan

AbstractUnderstanding the Miocene tectonics of the southwest Japan Arc is key to elucidating the history of the opening of the Japan Sea, and important advances have been made in the last 10 years, such as clarification of the timing of arc rotation. Syn‐rift successions occur in the eastern San'in basins, but they have received little attention because the basic stratigraphy and development of the basins are poorly understood. This paper provides details of a field survey of the Miocene geology of the Kinbusan area in eastern Tottori Prefecture, Japan. The lithofacies suggest alluvial fan and plain environments, which correlate with the syn‐rifting horizon of the southwest Japan Arc. A syn‐depositional graben, which is newly named the Kinbusan Graben, can be inferred from the geometry of the basin fill, and this graben consists of two sub‐basins bounded by two ENE–WSW‐trending normal faults. Miocene dikes also trend ENE–WSW, indicating that the graben was formed in response to extension oriented perpendicular to the strike of the faults. The age of the Iwami Formation shows that extension was initiated before arc rotation. Fault‐slip data, collected from meso‐scale faults in the basin fill, indicate axial compressive stress with the maximum principal stress being vertical. The stress field suggests that the basin fill was accommodated not only in fault‐perpendicular extension but also in fault‐parallel extensions, and fault‐parallel extension was the probable cause of differential subsidence of the basin fill during faulting. The results show that the basic stratigraphy and structures of the eastern San'in basins provide important constraints on the timing and style of deformation in the southwest Japan Arc and the Japan Sea.

Improving vegetation spatial distribution mapping in arid and on coastal dune systems using GPR in Tottori Prefecture (Japan)

In this article, desertification and dune progression over vegetation was quantified using remote sensing data. However, vegetation buried under sand blowout could not be counted using this method. Therefore, to estimate the extent of buried vegetation, a GPR campaign was conducted over the coastal sand-dune of Tottori Prefecture (Japan) in combination with a high-resolution topographic UAV-based survey of the topography. The results show that buried vegetation exists underneath sand-blowout, especially near the dune ridges, and can extend from 20 to 30 meters further than the estimate based on airborne remote sensing. Furthermore, the presence of palaeo-vegetation in palaeodune layers also provides the information on the long-term evolution of sand dunes, which can be used to reconstruct Quaternary coastal environments.

Feeding Habits of Frogs in the Tottori Sand Dunes, Tottori Prefecture, Western Japan

Feeding Habits of Frogs in the Tottori Sand Dunes, Tottori Prefecture, Western Japan

Enhancement of rural agriculture in Japan through industry-academia collaboration: a case of cloud ear mushroom production in Tottori Prefecture

Rural agriculture is a crucial component of social infrastructure owing to its functionalities including domestic food production, securing income sources, and cultural transmission, which are all essential for local communities. Densifying urban settlements including in Japan has resulted in population outflow from rural areas, undermining rural agriculture. Therefore, to prevent population decline in rural areas, it is effective to create innovative and attractive businesses through industry-academia collaboration. Although mushroom production can be a promising option as a model of sustainable, circular agriculture with low environmental impact, there are very few examples of collaboration. In Tottori Prefecture, Japan, among the major domestically cultivated mushrooms, attempts were made to produce cloud ear mushroom (Auricularia polytricha), which was heavily dependent on imports, through industry-academia collaboration. Along with the development of new cultivars suitable for the climate, research was conducted on optimal cultivation conditions, pest control, and post-harvest treatment. As a result, the Tottori Prefecture has achieved the highest production volume of cloud ear mushroom in Japan. This project not only supplies food but also contributes to securing an income source and social welfare because everyone can participate regardless of age or disability. In addition, because no special land or facilities are required for mushroom production, this project can be initiated at a low cost. The characteristics of this project, developed through cooperation between mushroom producers and academic institute, indicate that it is a useful model that contributes to community revitalization as well as mushroom production.

Relationship between abundances of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae) and distribution of sika deer ( <i>Cervus nippon</i>) in Tottori Prefecture, Japan

Relationship between abundances of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae) and distribution of sika deer ( <i>Cervus nippon</i>) in Tottori Prefecture, Japan

The Impact of Ground Irregular Sedimentary Structure on the Seismic Motion Amplification Characteristics: A case study in Tottori, Japan

The amplification characteristics of seismic motion are determined by the ground structure. In design practice, the ground is assumed to be horizontally stratified. However, the actual ground forms irregular sedimentary structures and the propagation direction of the seismic motion in the soil changes in a complicated way. Thus, the actual amplification factor of seismic motion is dramatically different from the value assumed in design practice. This phenomenon is called the multidimensional effect. The present study targeted at a seismic observation point in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, and estimated the irregular ground structures based on the microtremor observation results. With this ground structure model, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was conducted and the amplification factors were compared with those determined assuming horizontal stratification. When there is no ground nonlinearity, the multidimensional effect of the ground was more notable in points with thick sedimentary strata, where the peak amplification factor according to the FEA was 1.9 to 3.6 times larger than when horizontal stratification was assumed. In points with thin sedimentary strata, the peak amplification factor ratio was 2.1–2.4. First-order peak frequency was different between cases with irregular ground structures and with horizontal stratification. Furthermore, when the nonlinearity of the ground was evident, the multidimensional effect on the peak amplification factor was not as noticeable as when the ground behaved linearly. The peak magnification ratio due to the multidimensional effect was found to be 2.3. The results of this study show that the amplification characteristics of the seismic motion considered in design practice are likely to be on the dangerous side when the ground is not horizontally stratified.

Classification of Kansai and Chugoku dialects spoken by old Japanese speakers

The present study examined how Kansai and Chugoku dialects in Japanese are classified using hierarchical density-based spatial clustering (HDBSCAN) and Random Forest (RF). We obtained the written-format pronunciations of 48 words from 1450 Japanese speakers over age 50 who had been residing in their birthplaces. We calculated phonetic distance (ALINE distance) between the dialectal pronunciations and standard Japanese ones, and ran HDBSCAN and RF models with 1000 bootstrap samples. The optimal HDBSCAN model demonstrated that there are two groups of speakers in the northern and southern pastoral areas of Kansai region. The RF models demonstrated that speakers from each prefecture were classified with a wide range of accuracies (F1 = 0.73). Kansai-region speakers in the urban area where Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara prefectures share borderlines were poorly classified. Similarly, Chugoku-region speakers living near the borderlines of Hiroshima, Shimane, and Tottori prefectures were poorly classified. The rest of the participants were generally classified well. These results suggest that each prefecture generally has its own dialect, but its distribution goes beyond prefecture borderlines. This is the first study to reveal such classification patterns of Japanese dialects using machine learning approaches.

鳥取県東部白兎海岸の中新統鳥取層群の地質

鳥取県東部の白兎海岸の気多岬および淤岐ノ島に露出する鳥取層群の地質調査および安山岩のK-Ar年代を測定した．気多岬には鳥取層群八頭層河原火山岩部層に帰属する両輝石安山岩が露出し，その石基中の斜長石のK-Ar年代は18.3±0.6 Maであった．絶対年代を比較すると，先行研究で指摘された河原火山岩部層が北但層群の養父亜層群八鹿層に対比される考えは支持される．淤岐ノ島に露出する鳥取層群は岩美層に帰属するとみられ，礫岩層を主体とし，河川環境下での火山活動の激化による堆積とその後の火山活動の鎮静化による斜面変形の一連の環境変化を記録した堆積物，広義のギルバート型ファンデルタの一部に比較できる地層を有する．広義のギルバート型ファンデルタが示す古流向は現在の方位で南西方向であったため，東北東方向に陸地が存在したとする考えと調和的である．これらの知見は日本海形成初期における古地理の復元に有用なデータとなりうる．

Evaluating the Sand-Trapping Efficiency of Sand Fences Using a Combination of Wind-Blown Sand Measurements and UAV Photogrammetry at Tottori Sand Dunes, Japan

Fences are commonly used in coastal regions to control wind-blown sand. Sand-trapping fences and sand-stabilizing fences have been installed at the Tottori Sand Dunes, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, to prevent damage by wind-blown sand; however, the effectiveness of these fences has not previously been quantitatively evaluated. This study analyzed the effects of sand fences on sand trapping using field observations of blown-sand flux and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry. The estimated total blown-sand flux in the near-ground surface observed inside and outside the sand fences indicated that wind-blown sand was effectively trapped by the sand fences at wind speeds lower than 17 m s−1, reducing sand flux by more than 80%. The UAV photogrammetry results demonstrated that large amounts of sand were transported from the dune to the fenced area during March and April, and sand initially accumulated on the lee side of the sand-trapping fences, forming a new foredune. Sand accumulated on the existing foredune during April and May, and the vertical accretion around the foredune was two to four times the sand deposition within the sand-stabilizing fences. This indicated the effectiveness of sand-trapping fences for controlling wind-blown sand; however, their efficiency was reduced as they were gradually buried, with sand being trapped by the sand-stabilizing fences.

A Comparison of Several UAV-Based Multispectral Imageries in Monitoring Rice Paddy (A Case Study in Paddy Fields in Tottori Prefecture, Japan)

In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been actively applied in the agricultural sector. Several UAVs equipped with multispectral cameras have become available on the consumer market. Multispectral data are informative and practical for evaluating the greenness and growth status of vegetation as well as agricultural crops. The precise monitoring of rice paddy, especially in the Asian region, is crucial for optimizing profitability, sustainability, and protection of agro-ecological services. This paper reports and discusses our findings from experiments conducted to test four different commercially available multispectral cameras (Micesense RedEdge-M, Sentera Single NDVI, Mapir Survey3, and Bizworks Yubaflex), which can be mounted on a UAV in monitoring rice paddy. The survey has conducted in the typical paddy field area located in the alluvial plain in Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Six different vegetation indices (NDVI, BNDVI, GNDVI, VARI, NDRE and MCARI) captured by UAVs were also compared and evaluated monitoring contribution at three different rice cropping phases. The results showed that the spatial distribution of NDVI collected by each camera is almost similar in paddy fields, but the absolute values of NDVI differed significantly from each other. Among them, the Sentera camera showed the most reasonable NDVI values of each growing phase, indicating 0.49 in the early reproductive phase, 0.62 in the late reproductive stage, and 0.38 in the ripening phase. On the other hand, compared to the most commonly used NDVI, VARI which can be calculated from only visible RGB bands, can be used as an easy and effective index for rice paddy monitoring.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Gene from Ticks and Human Patients in Tottori Prefecture, Japan.

Japanese spotted fever (JSF) is a tick-borne bacterial febrile disease caused by Rickettsia japonica characterized by fever, rash, and occasional death. The number of patients in Japan and the Tottori Prefecture has been increasing over the past 20 years. Most cases were found in Eastern Tottori; however, the distribution of patients has expanded to the Central and Western regions. Ticks carried by wild animals may be the cause, but the prevalence of R. japonica in ticks has not yet been analyzed. Ticks were collected by flagging-dragging from 16 sites in Tottori, Japan. The ticks were morphologically classified and DNA was extracted. The 17-kDa antigen gene was amplified using nested PCR. PCR amplicons from ticks and JSF patients were sequenced and phylogenetically compared. In total, 177 ticks were collected and identified as Haemahysalis, Ixodes, Amblyomma, and Dermcentor. The Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia (SFGR) was detected in Haemahysalis and Amblyomma spp. using PCR, with positivity rates of 36.8% and 33.3%, respectively. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that positive ticks harbored R. japonica, P. raoultii, and other Rickettsiae species; however, the patient's samples were restricted to R. japonica. Similar to the incidence of JSF, the rate of R. japonica-positive ticks was higher in the Eastern region; however, R. japonica-positive ticks were also detected in the Western region. R. japonica sequences had been found in ticks collected in Tottori Prefecture. Ticks harboring R. japonica were found in the Eastern and Western parts of Tottori Prefecture and the sequences were identical to the human cases. Only the R. japonica sequence has been detected in patients with spotted fever symptoms, even though ticks were harboring various SFGRs.

Did Depression, Schizophrenia, and Alcohol Use Increase During the COVID-19 Pandemic Even in Low-Risk Regions? An Analysis of the 2017-2020 National Health Insurance Data in Tottori Prefecture.

This study aimed to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of medical consultations for depression, schizophrenia, and alcohol dependence in low-risk regions. National Health Insurance enrolments from March 2017 to March 2021 in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, where there were minimal COVID-19 cases in 2020, were included in this study. The all-cause mortality and proportion of National Health Insurance members with depression, schizophrenia, and alcohol dependence in the financial years (FY) 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 were calculated. The proportion in FY 2020 was compared with the average proportion from FY2017 to FY2019 and the proportion in FY2019. The all-cause mortality for men aged 80-99 years and women aged 70-89 years decreased in FY2020. The proportion of men aged 20-29 years with depression increased to 4.1% in FY2020 compared with 3.0% in FY2019, while the proportion of women aged 20-29 years with depression was 4.4% in FY2017, 4.8% in FY2018, 4.8% in FY2019, and 5.5% in FY2020, confirming an increasing trend from before the COVID-19 pandemic. The proportion of men aged 30-39 years and 60-69 years with schizophrenia increased and that of women aged 40-49 years, 60-69 years, and 90-99 years with schizophrenia also increased, even before the pandemic. The proportion of people with alcohol use disorder has not changed significantly since FY2017. The pandemic has led to an increased proportion of men aged 20-29 years with depression, even in low-risk regions.

Effects of Using a Video-Sharing Application on Multidisciplinary Staff During Pre-discharge Home Assessment Visits for Elderly Hospitalized Patients.

Pre-discharge home assessment visits for elderly hospitalized patients are conducted by the hospital staff to ensure a smooth transition to home care and are effective in preventing falls and reducing the rehospitalization rates. However, the effect of an application that enables the viewing of videos of the patient's home activities during the pre-discharge visit on the multidisciplinary professionals who provide services to the patient has not yet been fully clarified. Multidisciplinary professionals at 23 facilities located in western Tottori Prefecture who used a video-sharing application (Patto-Mie Net) were invited to be interview participants. Those who agreed were interviewed about the usefulness of the application in their work and its effect on multidisciplinary collaboration. A verbatim transcript was made, and thematic analysis was conducted using the qualitative analysis software NVivo. Twenty-eight people participated in the interviews, including nurses, care managers, rehabilitation specialists, care workers, and other social care professions. Fourteen themes and five categories were generated from the analysis: comprehensive information visualization and transferability, identification of changes over time and prognostic prediction, promoting multidisciplinary collaboration, patient and family reality, and disadvantages and concerns. The use of an application that allows video-sharing of a patient's home movement status during a pre-discharge visit has revealed a variety of benefits for multiple professionals in hospitals and other facilities. In particular, the results were characterized by the psychological closeness between multiple professionals, promotion of interprofessional communication, and sharing of reality, including the psychosocial background of the patient and family.

How the Japanese workcation embraces digital nomadic work style employees

ABSTRACT In Japan, workcations have gained attention as a way to offset the economic damage caused to inbound tourism by the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering its aims to contribute to the local community and increase interactions with local residents, the Japanese-style workcation can be positioned as a form of digital nomadism that seeks alternatives to existing work styles. This study is based on fieldwork in Tottori Prefecture in Japan and includes interviews and participant observation. It aims to examine (1) national and local government workcation policies, (2) the development of new services and businesses that facilitate workcation, and (3) the process of introducing hybrid work in companies. Japanese-style workcation as a social design can offer solutions to problems such as the concentration of population in cities, ageing population, and declining tourism industry. The work styles and lifestyles suggested by the Japanese-style workcation should continue to be explored as an area where new tourism, social design, and community design overlap. At the same time, incorporating digital nomadism as individualism into the workcation remains a future issue.

Gastric Cancer Screening in Japan: A Narrative Review.

Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer incidence in Japan, although gastric cancer mortality has decreased over the past few decades. This decrease is attributed to a decline in the prevalence of H. pylori infection. Radiographic examination has long been performed as the only method of gastric screening with evidence of reduction in mortality in the past. The revised 2014 Japanese Guidelines for Gastric Cancer Screening approved gastric endoscopy for use in population-based screening, together with radiography. While endoscopic gastric cancer screening has begun, there are some problems associated with its implementation, including endoscopic capacity, equal access, and cost-effectiveness. As H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis are well-known risk factors for gastric cancer, a different screening method might be considered, depending on its association with the individual’s background and gastric cancer risk. In this review, we summarize the current status and problems of gastric cancer screening in Japan. We also introduce and discuss the results of gastric cancer screening using H. pylori infection status in Hoki-cho, Tottori prefecture. Further, we review risk stratification as a system for improving gastric cancer screening in the future.