Search Results (41)

In this study, we focused on information regarding the food preparation process and aimed to investigate the influence of the presence of a person cooking on food evaluation. For the same-food-photo (rice ball or miso soup), participants had to complete a nine-item questionnaire related to their food evaluation using a seven-point Likert scale, divided into cases where only the name of the food was written and where it was written as being machine-made or handmade. We also administered the same questionnaire divided into cases with text-only recipes, with photos of cooking utensils and ingredients, or with photos of the cook. The groups labeled with only the food names and the handmade label had significantly higher scores than those labeled as being machine-made regarding healthiness, time and effort, and whether the food was ‘made with love.’ The text-only versions significantly improved the appearance of the miso soup compared to photos with the cook. This study revealed that information regarding food being handmade had a more positive impact than that which was machine-made, but this was comparable to text-only photos. Because the handmade label can be influenced by context, future research should investigate in more detail the circumstances in which the handmade label influences it. Full article

Across the globe, landslides cause significant loss of life, injuries, and widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. Therefore, assessing and analyzing landslide hazards is crucial to human, environmental, cultural, economic, and social sustainability. This study utilizes ArcGIS 10.8 and Python 3.9 to create landslide databases for Niigata Prefecture (NIG), Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures (IWT-MYG), and Hokkaido (HKD), drawing on data obtained from the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, Japan. A distinguishing feature of this study is the application of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which significantly outperforms traditional machine learning models in image-based pattern recognition by extracting contextual information from surrounding areas, a distinct advantage in image and pattern recognition tasks. Unlike conventional methods that often require manual feature selection and engineering, CNNs automate feature extraction, enabling a more nuanced understanding of complex patterns. By experimenting with CNN input window sizes ranging from 3 × 3 to 27 × 27 pixels and employing diverse sampling techniques, we demonstrate that larger windows enhance the model’s predictive accuracy by capturing a wider range of environmental interactions critical for effective landslide modeling. CNN models with 19 × 19 pixel windows typically yield the best overall performance, with CNN-19 achieving an AUC of 0.950, 0.982 and 0.969 for NIG, HKD, and IWT-MYG, respectively. Furthermore, we improve prediction reliability using oversampling and a random window-moving method. For instance, in the NIG region, the AUC of the oversampling CNN-19 is 0.983, while the downsampling AUC is 0.950). These techniques, less commonly applied in traditional machine learning approaches to landslide detection, help address the issue of data imbalance often seen in landslide datasets, where instances of landslides are far outnumbered by non-landslide occurrences. While challenges remain in enhancing the model’s generalization, this research makes significant progress in developing more robust and adaptable tools for landslide prediction, which are vital for ensuring environmental and societal resilience. Full article

Paddy field runoff containing plastic capsules that are used to coat fertilizers has been receiving increased attention. However, the behavior of these capsules, especially their degradation behavior, has not been extensively investigated. We divided the capsules in runoff into two categories: “floating capsules after ploughing” and “floating capsules discharged via pipes at the exits of paddy fields”. The behaviors of the capsules in both types of runoff were monitored in 2022 and 2023 at four paddy fields in Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures in northern Japan. Sampling of capsules in paddy biomass and soil, and comparisons of capsule weight to biomass weight showed that a decrease in plastic capsule weight reflected a decrease in capsule runoff. However, the emergence of clear effects showed a delay of 2 to 3 years, as explained by carbon isotopic analyses. The decrease in the weight of the plastic capsules could be attributed to a combination of capsule degradation and the release of urea inside the capsules, which was also explained by carbon isotopic analyses. Three types of degraded capsules were found: shrunken, broken, and spherical. Statistically significant differences among the weights of each type found. Full article

This study aimed to clarify how local agriculture and social capital in disaster-affected areas were transformed by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 and to identify the factors that influenced the transformation of social capital—especially trust—after the disaster. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the Miyagi prefecture’s disaster-affected areas. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis with ordinary least squares; the trust index was used for explained variables and personal-attribute disaster-related variables as explanatory variables. The results indicate that regional agriculture was integrated into agricultural corporations or communal management as individual farmers were unable to recover their disaster-related losses. After the disaster, participation in collaborative efforts to manage community resources decreased, while participation in community activities, such as volunteering, increased. Respondents lost trust in the people around them owing to relocation after the disaster and exposure to crime. Steps necessary to maintain or improve social capital in disaster areas include maintaining public safety in the disaster area, securing sources of income, and providing people with interaction opportunities, such as hobby groups. The findings offer practical applications for post-disaster agricultural resource management in developed countries. Full article

The effects of docosahexaenoic acid supplements on cognitive function have long been demonstrated, but the effects of alpha-linolenic acid, a precursor of docosahexaenoic acid, have not been fully tested. The search for functional foods that delay cognitive decline in the older adults is considered a very important area from a preventive perspective. The aim of this study was to conduct an exploratory evaluation of alpha-linolenic acid on various cognitive functions in healthy older subjects. Sixty healthy older adults aged 65 to 80 years, living in Miyagi prefecture, without cognitive impairment or depression, were included in the randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Study subjects were randomly divided into two groups and received either 3.7 g/day of flaxseed oil containing 2.2 g of alpha-linolenic acid, or an isocaloric placebo (corn oil) containing 0.04 g of alpha-linolenic acid for 12 weeks. The primary endpoints were six cognitive functions closely related to everyday life: attention and concentration, executive function, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed and memory function. After 12 weeks of intake, changes in verbal fluency scores on the frontal assessment battery at bedside, a neuropsychological test assessing executive function, in which participants are asked to answer as many words as possible in Japanese, were significantly greater in the intervention group (0.30 ± 0.53) than in the control group (0.03 ± 0.49, p < 0.05). All other cognitive test scores were not significantly different between the groups. In conclusion, daily consumption of flaxseed oil containing 2.2 g alpha-linolenic acid improved cognitive function, specifically verbal fluency, despite the age-related decline, in healthy individuals with no cognitive abnormalities. Further validation studies focusing on the effects of alpha-linolenic acid on verbal fluency and executive function in older adults are needed, as verbal fluency is a predictor of Alzheimer’s disease development, important for cognitive health. Full article

This retrospective study investigated the 3-year impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) of 2011 on deaths due to neoplasm, heart disease, stroke, pneumonia, and senility among older adults in the primarily affected prefectures compared with other prefectures, previous investigations having been more limited as regards mortality causes and geographic areas. Using death certificates issued between 2006 and 2015 (n = 7,383,253), mortality rates (MRs) and risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using a linear mixed model with the log-transformed MR as the response variable. The model included interactions between the area category and each year of death from 2010 to 2013. The RRs in the interaction significantly increased to 1.13, 1.17, and 1.28 for deaths due to stroke, pneumonia, and senility, respectively, in Miyagi Prefecture in 2011, but did not significantly increase for any of the other areas affected by the GEJE. Moreover, increased RRs were not reported for any of the other years. The risk of death increased in 2011; however, this was only significant for single-year impact. In 2013, decreased RRs of pneumonia in the Miyagi and Iwate prefectures and of senility in Fukushima Prefecture were observed. Overall, we did not find evidence of strong associations between the GEJE and mortality. Full article

From the 2020 academic year, new courses of study were introduced in Japan, and the necessity of SDG education was newly specified in them. Therefore, in this study, Miyagi Prefectural Shiroishi High School was selected as a case study as it is conducting community-based SDG education in the Tohoku region, which has problems with sustainability, and the educational effects and changes in awareness before and after SDG education were examined. The purpose of this study is to analyze examples of SDG education practice at Miyagi Prefectural Shiroishi High School based on a case analysis of educational practices related to SDGs that clarifies what changes have been introduced to teachers and students via SDG education, and we suggest activities that are beneficial to both teachers and students. The survey was conducted in a questionnaire format before and after SDG education, and a five-point scale was used to confirm the significance of the change. As a result of SDG education, students became interested in social issues in collaboration with local governments, companies, and schools, and teachers were able to cover specialized content that was difficult without any stakeholders. Full article

The reproduction and early growth of fish are essential elements that affect recruitment and provide breakthrough points for understanding population fluctuations. In this study, larval and juvenile Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) were collected from five coastal waters off the Pacific coast of Japan in 2020 and 2021 to gain more insight into life history traits such as reproduction and early growth of this species on the basis of otolith microstructure analysis. The spawning period appeared to be related to temperature and chlorophyll-a concentrations, showing latitudinal gradient variation among fishing areas. We detected a significant positive allometric growth pattern between standard length and body weight. The Gompertz model best fits the growth of standard length, showing an initial stage of growth that was quick and accelerating. The mean daily growth rate for standard length was 0.64 ± 0.09 mm per day. A series of mixed-effect models was constructed to investigate the sources of differences in the mean growth rates among individuals. The results revealed regional variability in fish growth, with individuals in the central Pacific stock growing faster. Individuals that grew slower were heavier than those of the same length, indicating a trade-off between length growth and weight growth. The mean growth of individual fish was positively influenced by environmental factors (surface water temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration), and individuals within the same school of fish displayed a striking homogeneity of growth. Our research demonstrates the significance of including both physiological characteristics and environmental influences in early growth studies on fish. Full article

In this study, we compared the disaster relief practices of nurses who worked in welfare shelters in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures, areas in which only natural disasters occurred, and nurses who worked in Fukushima Prefecture, an area in which both nuclear and natural disasters occurred during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, in order to identify commonalities and differences between them. We conducted semi-structured interviews with two nurses from each prefecture. The results revealed that “nursing practice with minimal available materials and personnel” and “nursing practice based on knowledge and experience as a nurse” were common themes in the content of nursing practices, whereas “securing human resources during disasters and considering ideal welfare evacuation centers” and “recording the difficulties in dealing with nuclear disasters” were uncommon themes. The findings confirmed that even in Fukushima Prefecture, in which the nuclear disaster occurred, participants did not talk about their concerns regarding radiation exposure while working at welfare evacuation shelters where people with special requirements were evacuated, and that they were expected to respond in the same way as they would in natural disasters. However, participants reported several difficulties relating to nuclear disasters that should be considered in future disaster support. Full article

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important pathogens in humans as well as in livestock. Particularly, bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus is a serious issue in dairy farms due to disease recurrence. Here, cases of S. aureus-mediated intramammary infection occurring in the Miyagi Prefecture in Japan were monitored from May 2015 to August 2019; a total of 59 strains (49 from bovine milk and 10 from bulk milk) were obtained from 15 dairy farms and analyzed via sequence-based typing methods and antibiotic susceptibility tests. Two pairs of isolates were determined as recurrence cases from the same cows in distinct farms. The sequence type (ST), spa type, and coa type of each pair were the same: one pair showed ST705, t529, and VIb and the other showed ST352, t267, and VIc. In addition, the possession of toxin genes analyzed of each pair was exactly the same. Furthermore, seven oxacillin-sensitive clonal complex 398 isolates were obtained from a single farm. This is the first confirmed case of a Methicillin-Sensitive SA (MSSA) ST398 strain isolated from mastitis-containing cows in Japan. Our findings suggest that nationwide surveillance of the distribution of ST398 strains in dairy farms is important for managing human and animal health. Full article

The long-term mortality risk of natural disasters is a key threat to disaster resilience improvement, yet an authoritative certification and a reliable surveillance system are, unfortunately, yet to be established in many countries. This study aimed to clarify the mechanism of post-disaster indirect deaths in Japan, to improve the existing disaster recovery evaluation system and support decision making in public policy. This study first investigated the definition of indirect deaths via a literature review before examining the observed number of indirect deaths via case study, census data from the Population Demographic and Household Surveys, other social surveys, and reports in the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, which severely damaged northeastern Japan, especially the three prefectures, which are the target areas in this context (i.e., Fukushima, Iwate, and Miyagi). It was found that the reported number of indirect deaths was significantly underestimated. In total, 4657 indirect deaths were estimated to have occurred in the target prefectures. This was higher than the reported number, which was 3784. The overall statistics established via collaboration between local administrations and governments can be improved to provide better reference for researchers and policymakers to investigate the long-term effects of natural disaster. Full article

Large-scale natural disasters have a significant effect on residents’ mental health. The Miyagi Disaster Mental Health Care Center (DMHCC) was established as a long-term mental health care center in response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (GEJE). Although six DMHCCs have been established in Japan, their exact role and functioning are still unclear. This study aimed to explore which population used the center in each recovery phase. Logistic regression was performed to identify the residents’ characteristics according to the consultation pathways using the data collected by the Miyagi DMHCC. These data included personal information of the residents who were supported by the center from 2013 to 2018. The working-age unemployed men sought help by themselves, and the isolated older females were supported by home visits through the health survey. Long-term mental health care centers should observe community recovery and provide appropriate support. The implications of this result and future research directions are discussed. Full article

Acheilognathus typus, an endangered bitterling, was captured in an irrigation pond in the northern part of Niigata prefecture, Japan, in 2019. This bitterling species had once occupied that region. Its absence for years indicated the possible extinction of the bitterling there. We expected that the recently captured individuals are an unknown remnant stock of that endangered species found through an extensive survey. Mitochondrial genotyping, however, revealed that the recently captured individuals had a common haplotype with those from Kashimadai, Miyagi prefecture, Japan. The uniqueness of the haplotype to these two ponds indicates a stock identity between them. In the pond in Kashimadai, the illegal activity of catching the bitterlings by a person from the northern Niigata prefecture was detected in 2015. We conclude that the bitterling from the northern Niigata prefecture was stocked from a pond in Kashimadai. Our report is the first example of unauthorized bitterling stocking substantiated from both biological and human lines of evidence. Full article

The Japanese dietary pattern has long been discussed as one of the factors behind the longevity of Japanese people. However, the health benefits of the Japanese dietary pattern have not been fully elucidated. We published the first report in the world regarding the relation between the Japanese dietary pattern and cardiovascular disease mortality in 2007 using cohort studies including Japanese residents of Ohsaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Since then, we have developed the Japanese Diet Index (JDI) that was based on previous findings to assess the degree of the Japanese dietary pattern and to advance the evidence on the health effects of the Japanese dietary pattern. So far, we have explored the associations between the JDI score (in quartiles) and various outcomes. For all-cause mortality, in comparison to Q1 (the lowest), the multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were 0.92 (0.85–1.00) for Q2, 0.91 (0.83–0.99) for Q3, and 0.91 (0.83–0.99) for Q4 (the highest). For functional disability, the multivariable HRs (95%CIs) were 0.94 (0.81–1.09) for Q2, 0.90 (0.77–1.05) for Q3, and 0.79 (0.68–0.92) for Q4. For dementia, the multivariable HRs (95%CIs) were 0.88 (0.74–1.05) for Q2, 0.87 (0.73–1.04) for Q3, 0.79 (0.66–0.95) for Q4. In addition, people with higher adherence to the Japanese dietary pattern also showed decreases in disability and dementia risks. The purpose of this article was to review all six papers, summarize the health effects of the Japanese dietary pattern, and discuss implications for future research. Full article

One of the prominent interventions to tackle loneliness and social isolation in older adults is social facilitation. The present study investigated whether similarities in cognitive functions that are sensitive to age play a role in confidant social networks among older adults. We analyzed the data of 252 community-dwelling older adults in Wakuya City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, who responded to a self-administered questionnaire and cognitive health checkups provided by the city in 2017. We performed Exponential Random Graph Model and investigated educational attainment, orientation, word registration, clock drawing, delayed recall, verbal fluency and logical memory homophily while adjusting for density, reciprocity, age, sex living arrangement, presence of disability in instrumental activities of daily living, educational attainment and cognitive impairment status. The probability of a confidant tie with an older adult was significantly reduced by 6% (odds ratio (OR): 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90–0.99) for one score difference in logical memory, and marginally increased by 5% (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00–1.11) for one score difference in delayed recall. There was no significant association between educational attainment and other age-associated cognitive functional scores. Our findings suggest that similar logical memory functions play a role in strong social network building among community-dwelling older adults in Japan. Full article