Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2662-4435712026Stability and distribution of dense hydrous magnesium silicates in the mantle transition zone under low water activity conditions265ENYunkeSongKey Laboratory of High-temperature and High-pressure Study of the Earth’s Interior, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesXinzhuanGuoState Key Laboratory of Critical Mineral Research and Exploration, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesKuanZhaiKey Laboratory of High-temperature and High-pressure Study of the Earth’s Interior, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesWeiGuoState Key Laboratory of Geomicrobiology and Environmental Changes, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)TakashiYoshinoInstitute for Planetary Materials, Okayama UniversityWater plays a central role in controlling the physical and chemical properties of Earth’s deep interior. It remains uncertain how water is stored in subducting slabs within the mantle transition zone, between depths of about 410 and 660 kilometers, and whether dense hydrous magnesium silicates act as major water carriers to greater depths. Here we report high-pressure and high-temperature laboratory experiments on the Mg-Si-H system at pressures of 16 and 21.5 GPa and a temperature of 1400 K to evaluate hydrous phase stability under transition zone conditions. We find that when bulk water content is below 1.22 wt%, H2O is predominantly incorporated into wadsleyite and ringwoodite rather than forming dense hydrous magnesium silicates. Because estimated water contents in subducted oceanic slabs are typically lower than one weight percent, formation of these silicates is unlikely, suggesting that the mantle transition zone may restrict large scale water transport into the lower mantle.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2662-4443612025From localized 4f electrons to anisotropic exchange interactions in ferromagnetic CeRh6Ge4269ENShoichiroItokazuDepartment of Physics, Okayama UniversityAkimitsuKirikoshiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHarald O.JeschkeResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityJunyaOtsukiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityCeRh6Ge4 is a cerium-based ferromagnetic material exhibiting a quantum critical behavior under pressure. We derive effective exchange interactions, using the framework of density functional theory combined with dynamical mean-field theory. Our results reveal that the nearest-neighbor ferromagnetic interaction along the c axis is isotropic in spin space, leading to a formation of spin chains. On the other hand, the inter-chain coupling is highly anisotropic: The in-plane moment weakly interacts ferromagnetically in the a–b plane to stabilize the ferromagnetic state, whereas the z-component couples antiferromagnetically, contributing to its destabilization. The magnetic anisotropy of the interchain interactions as well as of the local 4f wavefunctions characterizes the magnetic properties underlying the ferromagnetic transition and the quantum critical behavior in CeRh6Ge4.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育推進機構 教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323162026町づくりを考える実践事例の検討 ―総合的な学習の時間を通じた中学生の意識変化に着目して―191203ENAkemiKAMADAAnan City Anan First Junior High SchoolKazuakiKAJIIFaculty of Education, Okayama University10.18926/CTED/70369 本研究は，中学校総合的な学習の時間における町づくりにおいて，他者との協働や相互作用を通じて町づくりを構想し，実践の結果生じた学習者の変化からその効果を明らかにすることを目的としている。また，対話的な学びで重視される他者との相互作用を，中学校の実践に落とし込み，そのあり方についても検討する。本実践のねらいは，多様な視点から町の将来の姿やあり方を人との関わりについて読み解き，持続可能な町のあり方について自分事に引き寄せて考えることで，町に対する意識の変化を促すことにある。実践の結果，学習者の町に対する見方や考え方の意識変化が引き起こされ，町づくりの持つ地域課題について自分事に引き寄せて思考することができた。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育推進機構 教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323162026吹奏楽活動の地域展開における市民吹奏楽団の関わりに関する研究 ―市民吹奏楽団は地域展開の担い手になり得るか―123137ENKunihikoMAKINOCenter for Teacher Education and Development、Okayama University10.18926/CTED/70364 吹奏楽活動の地域展開（以下、地域展開）において、指導者や活動場所の不足は喫緊の課題である。本研究は、地域展開が進む中で、市民吹奏楽団が地域の子ども達の吹奏楽活動を支える担い手となり得るかを調査・検討した。岡山県内の市民吹奏楽団20 団体への聞き取り調査とテキストマイニング分析の結果、地域展開への意識には差がみられ、積極的な団体では子ども達の演奏指導や合同での活動を肯定的に捉える傾向が確認された。一方で、指導技術や時間的制約、責任負担への不安が障壁となっている可能性が示唆された。また、市民吹奏楽団が抱える活動場所や財政的な課題に対して公立学校施設の活用がその解決に寄与し得る可能性が示唆された。一方で、公立学校の施設開放については、実際の制度運用において自治体間の格差が存在することが明らかとなった。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育推進機構 教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323162026地域社会とグローバルをつなぐ和楽器音楽次世代育成の実践研究（３） 小中学生の質問紙調査に見る「異文化間能力」育成の可能性91105ENRinkoHAYAKAWAOkayama UniversityYukoBEPPUKurashiki City CollegeMihoYAMAJIPart-time Lecturer at Okayama UniversityYokoHANAKUSAResearch Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationNorikoTAKESHITABiwako-Gakuin UniversityHiromiTAKASUOkayama UniversityKeikoMIYOSHIResearch Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationNaokoSHIMIZUDoctoral Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationChihiroTOSAYamaha CorporationAiNAKAMURA Doctoral Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationAkiHIGUCHIOkayama Prefectural School for the Deaf10.18926/CTED/70362 本研究は，「おかやま国際和楽器学生フェスティバル」の実践における，異文化間能力育成の可能性について，参加した小中学生の質問紙調査結果から検討した。<br>
その結果，１）体験を通して形成された新たな認識により，和楽器音楽文化と自己との関係性を再認識・再構築し，和楽器音楽文化への積極的な関与を示す価値づけ・意味づけが行われ，内在化が促されたこと，２）越境文化としての和楽器音楽文化に対して，開放的・尊重的態度を示していたが，自己の文化的アイデンティティを意識する契機となったこと，３）和楽器音楽の共有を通して生じた共感の上に，相互理解や協働関係が構築されていたこと，４）「文化の共有の可能性についての認識」が形成されるなど，フェスティバルでの経験が，文化観の形成に影響を与える契機となっていたこと，が明らかになった。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2410-387X942025Role-Based Efficient Proactive Secret Sharing with User Revocation80ENYixuanHeGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYutaKoderaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySamsulHudaInterdisciplinary Education and Research Field, Okayama UniversityProactive secret sharing (PSS), an extension of secret-sharing schemes, safeguards sensitive data in dynamic distributed networks by periodically refreshing shares to counter adversarial attacks. In our previous work, we constructed a non-interactive proactive secret scheme by integrating threshold homomorphic encryption (ThHE) while reducing the communication complexity to 𝑂(𝑛). Not only is refreshing shares important but revoking the shares of users who have left the system is also essential in practical dynamic membership scenarios. However, the previous work was insufficient for supporting explicit user revocation. This study strengthens the description of roles for authorized users and proposes a scheme to achieve non-interactive share refresh and dynamic user management. In each epoch, authorized users are classified into three roles: retain, newly join, and rejoin, and they receive a broadcast of the compact ciphertext encoding both the refresh information and the revocation instructions from the trusted center (dealer). Authorized users independently derive new shares through homomorphic computations, whereas revoked users are unable to generate new shares. Hash functions are used to bind revocation parameters to the cryptographic hashes of valid users in order to guarantee integrity during revocation, allowing for effective verification without compromising non-interactivity. Our new scheme not only extends the revocation structure but also preserves the 𝑂(𝑛) communication complexity.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1424-822025212025Integrated Authentication Server Design for Efficient Kerberos–Blockchain VANET Authentication6651ENMayaRahayuGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMd. BiplobHossainGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySamsulHudaInterdisciplinary Education and Research Field, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityVehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET) is a fundamental component of the intelligent transportation systems (ITS), providing critical road information to users. However, the volatility of VANETs creates significant vulnerabilities from malicious actors. Thus, verifying joining entities is crucial to maintaining the VANET’s communication security. Authentication delays must stay below 100 ms to meet VANET requirements, posing a major challenge for security. Our previous research introduced a Kerberos–Blockchain (KBC) authentication system that contains two main components separately: Authentication Server (AS) and Ticket Granting Server (TGS). However, this KBC architecture required an additional server to accommodate increasing vehicle volumes in urban environments, leading to higher infrastructure costs. This paper presents an integrated authentication server that merges AS and TGS into a Combined Server (CBS) while retaining blockchain security. We evaluate it using OMNeT++ with SUMO for traffic simulation and Ganache for blockchain implementation. Results show that CBS removes the need for an extra server while keeping authentication delays under 100 ms. It also improves throughput by 104% and reduces signaling overhead by 45% compared to KBC. By optimizing authentication without compromising security, the integrated server greatly enhances the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of VANET systems.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.BON VIEW PUBLISHING PTEActa Medica Okayama2810-9503512025A Study on Zeek IDS Effectiveness for Cybersecurity in Agricultural IoT Networks133142ENSamsulHudaInterdisciplinary Education and Research Field, Okayama UniversityMuhammad BisriMusthafaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityS. M.ShamimGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityAs agriculture moves toward Agriculture 4.0, which uses Internet of Things (IoT) devices to collect data in real time and monitor things from a distance, these networks are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. A common method used to protect against these kinds of threats is the use of intrusion detection systems (IDS). However, the agricultural environment is often changing and has limited resources, which makes cybersecurity challenging. Several available IDS tools are not designed to work properly in places with few resources, intermittent access, and unpredictable network conditions. This paper investigates the performance of Zeek, an open-source IDS, in identifying potential threats in agricultural IoT networks. We performed both offline and real-time experiments: offline analysis used pcap files from the Stratosphere Laboratory dataset, and real-time evaluation involved simulated live attack scenarios, focusing on unauthorized access attempts and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Zeek's performance was assessed based on CPU and memory utilization, as well as quality of service (QoS) metrics. From the experimental results, we found that Zeek was quite effective in protecting agricultural IoT networks against typical threats. Memory usage remained stable around 5% during offline analysis and under 20% during active attacks. However, CPU usage was more volatile, peaking at 120% during DDoS events. In terms of QoS, the system maintained a good throughput (1,375 kbits/s) with minimal packet loss (0.000186%). Among the attack types that we tested, brute force attacks, which represent attempts at unauthorized access, had the strongest effect on network performance, increasing delay to 2.159 ms and jitter to 0.793 ms. It seems clear that a heavier traffic load during such attacks can interfere with QoS. On the basis of our observation, we recommend practical deployment strategies for agricultural IoT systems that take these limitations into consideration, aiming to keep networks both secure and efficient under pressure.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学大学院ヘルスシステム統合科学研究科Acta Medica Okayama2436-322762026わが国のアドバンス・ケア・プランニングにおける地域住民への動機づけと評価についてのナラティブ・レビュー3947ENTakakoHASUIJapanese Red Cross Hokkaido College of NursingNaokoNAKAYAMAKanagawa University of Human Services10.18926/interdisciplinary/70329No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学大学院ヘルスシステム統合科学研究科Acta Medica Okayama2436-322762026Shared Decision Making における患者参加の諸相と課題の考察1725ENMihoYOSHIDAGraduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems Okayama University10.18926/interdisciplinary/70327This paper traces the historical development of decision-making models in healthcare while exploring the meaning and practical significance of “patient participation” within the shared decision-making (SDM) framework. SDM is a recommended approach to clinical decision-making that emphasizes mutual information sharing and deliberation between physicians and patients. Traditional models often assume that patients can clearly articulate their values, preferences, and treatment goals. However, in actual clinical settings, particularly in cases of serious illness or life-threatening situations, patients frequently face emotional distress and psychological burdens, which can hinder their active participation in decision-making and the expression of their preferences. Based on SDM theory and practice reports, this study argues that SDM should not be viewed merely as a process that promotes patient choice. Even when patients choose not to actively participate and ultimately delegate decisions to healthcare providers or family members, such a choice can represent autonomous decision-making if it arises through meaningful communication and mutual understanding. This perspective calls for a more comprehensive and flexible interpretation of patient participation in SDM practice.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学大学院ヘルスシステム統合科学研究科Acta Medica Okayama2436-322762026The effects of cold compresses on itching in patients with atopic dermatitis: A cross-over controlled pilot trial16ENYukiHIRAMIFormer Department of Nursing, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityNahokoHARADADepartment of Nursing Science, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama UniversityMihoONODepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health, Kagawa Prefectural University of Health SciencesMasahideKODACo-learning Community Healthcare Re-innovation Office, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKiyokoFUKAIProfessor Emeritus, Okayama University, Graduate School of Nursing, The Jikei University School of Medicine10.18926/interdisciplinary/70325This cross-over controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of two types of cold compresses (towels and ice packs) in alleviating itching among patients with atopic dermatitis. The study recruited 19 participants diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and suffering from chronic itching for over 6 months. Each participant received both types of cold compress interventions. Itching sensations were assessed repeatedly using a visual analogue scale before and after the application of the cold compress. The mean and standard deviation of itching scores for the towel intervention were 16.9 ± 19.1 (baseline) and 11.4 ± 16.1 (post-application). For the ice pack intervention, the scores were 13.6 ± 14.7 (baseline) and 6.2 ± 9.8 (post-application). Although there was a reduction in mean itching scores following the application of cold compresses, the differences were not statistically significant for either intervention. Despite the lack of statistical significance, this study suggests that cold compresses, which are user-friendly and inexpensive, may safely reduce subjective itching in patients with atopic dermatitis without causing pain or discomfort. However, further research with a larger sample size is needed to confirm these findings.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Universitas Islam Negeri Alauddin MakassarActa Medica Okayama2548-53341722025Trend of adjusted antenatal care visits on pregnant women and neonatal during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a three districts survey in 2021110118ENJulianiIbrahimDepartement of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah MakassarYokoTakahataNursing of Department, Graduate School of Health Science, Okayama UniversitySukaeniIbrahimFaculty of Medicine, Bosowa UniversitySustainable health development efforts amid infectious disease outbreaks such as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) require a resilient maternal health system. With cases rising globally and across Asia, Indonesia faces significant disruptions in essential services. A critical research gap exist in utilizing adjusted time-series analysis to isolated pandemic impact from seasonal variation in urban Indonesia. This study evaluates trends in antenatal care (ANC) visits (January 2019–December 2020) at three Community Health Centres in Makassar: Bara-Baraya, Jongaya and Batua using Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis. Findings reveal a significant decline in visits during the second and third quarters of 2020, primarily due to transmission fears. We suggest integration of telemedicine and home visits to maintain continuity of care. Although focused on urban Makassar, these results are an important reference for health and offer applicable solutions for other developing countries facing resource constraints. This study emphasizes the need for inclusive prevention strategies to protect maternal health in urban and rural areas in low- to middle-income countries during systemic health crises.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1424-82202652026A Proposal of Secure and Automated Over-the-Air Firmware Update Mechanism for IoT Devices Using Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery1535ENNopriantoDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo Htoo SandiKyawDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKomang CandraBrataDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityI Nyoman DarmaKotamaDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityThe Internet of Things (IoT) technology has grown rapidly over the past decade, resulting in deployments of thousands of IoT devices around the world. Then, managing firmware updates for these numerous devices poses significant challenges. Firmware updates face issues such as version rollback, modified firmware files, and potential man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, highlighting the need for a secure over-the-air (OTA) firmware update mechanism. In this paper, we propose an automated OTA firmware update mechanism, integrated with continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) to ensure trusted sources for firmware origins. It offers security, error handling during firmware updates, and monitoring of the update process. For evaluations, we implemented the proposal with the SEMAR IoT application server that has been implemented in our previous studies. Then, we verified the integrity and authentication, measured the performance and resource utilization, and performed benchmarking tests to assess the efficiency. The results demonstrate that the proposal is sufficiently reliable and efficient.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama1478-811X2412026MMP-3 cleavage of Lamin A induces pro-migratory nuclear deformity, nucleophagy, and their autophagic secretion with extracellular vesicles in metastatic cancer146ENTakanoriEguchiDepartment of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityEman A.TahaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams UniversityKeisukeNakanoDepartment of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityVikasTiwariCouncil of Scientific & Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Toxicological ResearchKatsukiTakebeDepartment of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTomohiroInoueDepartment of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityLiziXingDepartment of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityChiharuSogawaDepartment of Food and Health Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Hiroshima Institute of TechnologyKuniakiOkamotoDepartment of Dental Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityStuart K.CalderwoodDivision of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent proteinases that cleave a plethora of substrates, including components of the extracellular matrix and cell-surface-associated proteins, as well as intracellular targets. MMPs have also been found in extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes. MMP-3 promotes tumor growth, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, genome instability, migration, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells, and nuclear MMP-3 controls gene transcription. Intranuclear proteolysis by MMPs may significantly alter cancer progression. However, the nuclear substrates of MMP-3 have not been well investigated. In this study, we performed proteomic analyses to identify the nuclear substrates and EV proteins regulated by MMP-3. While rabidly metastatic colon cancer (LuM1) three-dimensionally cultured tumoroids secreted EVs containing 30 protein types, including Lamin A (LMNA), MMP-3, fibronectin (FN1), HSPA8 (Hsc70), β-actin (ACTB), and vimentin (VIM), CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout of MMP-3 reduced the secretion of these proteins in EVs. Notably, EV-bound cleaved Lamin secretion was confirmed by immunoelectron microscopy. Also, MMP-3 formed proteolytic dimers via its hemopexin-like repeat domains in nuclei. Many nuclear MMP-3-binding proteins, including Lamin A/C, histones, topoisomerases, and hnRNPs, were screened by co-immunoprecipitation followed by proteomics. Proteolytic MMP-3 overexpression generated a C-terminal 30-kDa fragment of Lamin A, whose cleavage site was defined via structural analysis. MMP-3 digestion of Lamin A induced nuclear deformity (atypia) required for cell migration in confined space. The cleaved Lamin A and MMP-3 were transported with autophagosomes (LC3B+), nucleophagosomes, and amphisomes (CD63 + LC3B+) and co-secreted with EVs. Proteolytic MMP-3 also induced nuclear speckles of Lamin A, suggesting their roles in transcription and splicing. Clinical analysis revealed that high expressions of MMP3 and LMNA were significantly seen in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) than in the other 16 cancer types, and predicted poor prognosis of patients suffering from HNSC, pancreatic, rectum and lung adenocarcinomas at specific stages. Immunohistochemistry revealed that nuclear MMP-3 and cleaved Lamin were significantly higher expressed in stage IV metastatic HNSC cases than in stage I non-metastatic cases. Taken together, MMP3-cleavage of Lamin A induces nuclear deformity, nucleophagy, and their autophagic co-secretion with EVs in metastatic cancer. Also, high expression of MMP-3 and secretion of Lamin A can predict poor prognosis in multiple cancer types at specific stages.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.JMIR Publications Inc.Acta Medica Okayama2369-3762122026Prescription Support Practice for Pharmacy Students: Pre-Post Educational Intervention Studye79545ENFukaAizawaClinical Research Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Tokushima University HospitalKentaYagiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityTsukasaHigashionnaDepartment of Pharmacy, Okayama University HospitalHirofumiHamanoDepartment of Pharmacy, Okayama University HospitalShimonTakahashiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityYoshitoZamamiDepartment of Pharmacy, Okayama University HospitalKazuakiShinomiyaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Care and Clinical Pharmacy, Tokushima Bunri UniversityTakahiroNiimuraClinical Research Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Tokushima University HospitalMitsuhiroGodaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityKeiKawadaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityKeisukeIshizawaClinical Research Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Tokushima University HospitalBackground: In the field of team-based care, pharmacists are vital for optimizing medication therapy. However, many medical professionals lack the opportunity to learn how to propose prescription changes with precision.<br>
Objective: This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by developing and assessing a new educational program for pharmacy students focused on prescription support and interprofessional collaboration.<br>
Methods: We recruited 191 fifth-year pharmaceutical students during the 2022‐2024 academic years. The program featured a 7-day intensive curriculum that included learning how to assist with prescriptions, analyzing clinical data, and engaging in role-playing exercises. A web-based questionnaire and a paper test were used to evaluate students’ awareness and knowledge both before and after the program. Statistical analyses were performed to verify the significance of changes; we utilized the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for the ordinal data derived from the specific behavioral objectives and 2-tailed paired t tests for the interval data from the knowledge tests. The magnitude of change was quantified using r for Wilcoxon tests and Cohen dz for 2-tailed t tests, with 95% CI calculated to ensure the stability and reliability of the observed results.<br>
Results: Analysis of the primary outcome specific behavioral objectives revealed statistically significant effects across all items (Wilcoxon signed-rank test; P<.001). Effect sizes (r=0.505‐0.835) ranged from moderate to large, with particularly large effects observed in identifying contents issue (r=0.835, 95% CI 0.126-0.330; P<.001). Knowledge test scores showed significant improvement in the following 3 subjects: pharmacology (r=−0.504, 95% CI –0.215 to 0.127; P<.001), organic chemistry (r=0.254, 95% CI –0.148 to –0.193; P=.004), and communication (r=0.221, 95% CI –0.151 to –0.190; P=.01). No significant changes were observed in pathology or pharmacokinetics.<br>
Conclusions: This program provides strong evidence that practical, hands-on learning with hospital pharmacists helps improve pharmacy students’ professional skills and optimize pharmaceutical therapies in interprofessional care. By teaching pharmacists to effectively propose prescription changes, the program equips them to become integral members of interprofessional care, ultimately leading to optimized pharmaceutical care for patients.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama2574-173X4612026Lifestyle Factors and Current Alcohol Consumption Among Japanese Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Studye70089ENMasatakeNishiwakiDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesHideyukiKandaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesKeitaYoshidaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesAyaKinjoDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityYukiKuwabaraDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityHongjaKimDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityAyaImamotoDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityHisashiYoshimotoDepartment of Family Medicine, General Practice and Community Health, Institute of Medicine, University of TsukubaTerunaItoDepartment of Food and Nutrition, Koriyama Women's UniversityHideakiKasugaDepartment of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Fukushima Medical UniversityRurikoMinobeNational Institute of Alcoholism, Kurihama National HospitalHitoshiMaesatoNational Institute of Alcoholism, Kurihama National HospitalMakiJikeDepartment of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Showa Women's UniversityYuichiroOtsukaDivision of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of MedicineOsamuItaniDivision of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of MedicineYoshitakaKaneitaDivision of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of MedicineSusumuHiguchiNational Institute of Alcoholism, Kurihama National HospitalYoneatsuOsakiDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced drinking behaviors in minors by disrupting daily routines and increasing psychosocial stress, although alcohol use among Japanese adolescents has declined in recent years. We aimed to clarify the relationships between current alcohol consumption and lifestyle factors during the COVID-19 pandemic based on a nationwide cross-sectional survey.<br>
Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2021 Lifestyle Survey of Adolescents, a nationwide survey conducted in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 15 549 junior and senior high school students (7645 boys and 7904 girls) were included. Current alcohol consumption was defined as drinking on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between current alcohol consumption and lifestyle factors, including irregular sleep patterns, irregular dietary habits, and increased screen time. Sex-stratified analyses and interaction tests were also performed.<br>
Results: The overall prevalence of current alcohol consumption was 2.1%, with slightly higher rates among boys (2.2%) than girls (2.0%). Current alcohol consumption was significantly associated with irregular sleep patterns (odds ratio [OR] = 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–1.95) and irregular dietary habits (OR = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.18–2.40). An association with increased screen time was also observed (OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.00–1.69), particularly among boys. A significant interaction by sex was detected for irregular sleep patterns (p for interaction = 0.013).<br>
Conclusions: Alcohol consumption among Japanese adolescents was associated with irregular sleep and dietary habits and, among boys, with increased screen time. These findings highlight the importance of promoting regular routines and addressing lifestyle-related risks to prevent current alcohol consumption among adolescents during public health crises.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学大学院教育学研究科Acta Medica Okayama1883-24231912026地域と人々を繋ぐ音楽活動 ― 地域活力の回復を目指すコンサートの開催 ―131145ENShinsukeOKAMOTOFaculty of Education, Okayama University10.18926/bgeou/70202 本研究は，人口減少に伴って小中学校の統廃合が進む岡山県玉野市において，地域活力の回復を図る機会を作り，そのような機会を地域住民自ら作り出す機運を高めることを目的としている。本研究では，東児中学校区を対象に，校歌を再構成した作品の発表と，地域住民と協働で企画，運営を行うコンサートの開催という二つの取組を2023〜24年度にかけて実践し，住民同士の繋がりを強め，住民らが地域への関心を深めていくことを図った。両取組は，地域住民に好意的に受け入れられた結果となり，今後の取組の展開へ繋がる成果が得られた。2025年現在，両取組を実践した地域において，地域活性化を図る芸術活動団体が新たに結成され，地域活力の回復を目指す動きが住民の中で見られはじめていることから，本地域の今後の動向が注目される。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)Acta Medica Okayama2767-9764622026Clinical Characteristics and Spatial Transcriptome Analysis of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancers Exhibiting Early Alectinib Resistance: A Retrospective OLCSG Study284293ENTadahiroKuribayashiDepartment of Hematology, Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesGoMakimotoDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University HospitalKadoakiOhashiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University HospitalShutaTomidaCenter for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University HospitalHirofumiInoueCenter for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University HospitalToshihideYokoyamaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Ohara Healthcare Foundation, Kurashiki Central HospitalShoichiKuyamaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, NHO Iwakuni Clinical CenterYukaKatoDepartment of Thoracic Oncology and Medicine, National Hospital Organization, Shikoku Cancer CenterKenichiroKudoDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Okayama Medical CenterNaokatsuHoritaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Kure Kyosai HospitalHiroeKayataniDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Okayama HospitalMasaakiInoueDepartment of Chest Surgery, Shimonoseki City HospitalKeisukeSugimotoDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Kobe HospitalKiichiroNinomiyaCenter for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University HospitalYoshinobuMaedaDepartment of Hematology, Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYosukeTogashiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University HospitalKatsuyukiHottaCenter for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University HospitalSome anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement–positive lung cancers show early resistance, within 3 months, to alectinib. This study investigated the clinical and molecular characteristics of these patients. We analyzed patients with unresectable stage III/IV disease without indications for radical radiotherapy and recurrent ALK-positive lung cancer who received alectinib as the primary ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor between 2013 and 2021 at nine hospitals. In total, 103 patients were included. The median age was 65 years; 44 were male and 22 had brain metastases. The median progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 28.7 and 80.6 months. Nineteen patients treated for ≤3 months and 84 treated for >3 months were categorized into the early resistance and responder groups, respectively. The early resistance group had significantly shorter OS (8.4 months vs. not estimable, P < 0.001) and was significantly more likely to have brain metastases (42% vs. 17%, P = 0.027). They also showed elevated inflammatory markers, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Univariate analysis identified brain metastases and high NLR as significant predictors of early resistance. Spatial transcriptome analysis and immunohistochemical staining revealed upregulation of annexin A1 (ANXA1), a calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding protein involved in inflammation and cancer progression, in the early resistance group. Interleukin 6 stimulation, prompted by elevated inflammatory markers, increased ANXA1 expression and reduced alectinib sensitivity. Knockdown of ANXA1 improved alectinib sensitivity in alectinib-resistant cells. In conclusion, brain metastases and high NLR are associated with early resistance. ANXA1 may play an important role in mediating early resistance. New treatment options for the early resistance group are required.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama0916-96362026Distinct associations of blood pressure phenotypes with subclinical cerebrovascular disease and coronary artery calcification in Japanese menENNominBayaraaNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceYuichiroYanoNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceAyaKadotaNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceNazar MohdAzaharTran Ngoc HoangPhapNational Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and NutritionTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKeikoKondoNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceSayukiToriiNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceAkiraFujiyoshiDepartment of Hygiene, School of Medicine, Wakayama Medical UniversityTakayoshiOhkuboDepartment of Hygiene and Public Health, Teikyo University School of MedicineAkihikoShiinoMolecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKazuhikoNozakiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKatsuyukiMiuraNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceHypertension, encompassing white-coat hypertension (WCH), masked hypertension (MH), and sustained hypertension (SH), is an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including atherosclerosis. However, among the general population, findings on which target organ is affected by the different phenotypes of hypertension remain unclear. In this community-based observational study of Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis, 740 Japanese men underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging to assess the presence of lacunar infarction, white-matter hyperintensities, microbleeds, and intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS) between 2012 and 2015. They also underwent office blood pressure (BP) measurements, home BP monitoring for at least five consecutive days, and coronary artery calcification (CAC) assessments between 2010 and 2014. The final analysis included 686 participants without a history of CVDs. Of the 686 participants, the mean age ( ± SD) was 68.0 ( ± 8.3) years, and 39.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. In multivariable-adjusted models, each of WCH, MH, and SH was significantly associated with a higher risk of microbleeds compared to normotension. However, the association of WCH with microbleeds was evident only among those on antihypertensive medication (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 6.75 [95% CI 1.83–24.86]) and absent in those not on such medication (adjusted OR 1.20 [95% CI 0.31–4.73]). SH was associated with lacunar infarction, ICAS, and CAC. Among Japanese men, WCH, MH, SH were associated with subclinical cerebrovascular diseases, whereas only SH was associated with CAC. Moreover, any elevated BP phenotype increased the risk of microbleeds. Our findings suggest that different hypertension phenotypes distinctly affect target organs, particularly the brain and heart.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama1546-00962412026TeMPRA: advancing continuing professional development in pediatric rheumatology in JapanENHiroyukiWakiguchiDivision of General Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Oita University Faculty of MedicineKunioHashimotoDepartment of Pediatrics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesMasatoYashiroDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University HospitalKenichiNishimuraDepartment of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of MedicineTakasukeEbatoDepartment of Pediatrics, Kitasato UniversityKeijiAkamineDepartment of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical CenterYojiUejimaDivision of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Saitama Children’s Medical CenterTomomiSatoClinical Education Center for Physicians, Shiga University of Medical ScienceYuichiYamasakiDepartment of Pediatrics, Kagoshima University HospitalJunkoYasumuraDepartment of Pediatrics, Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital Organization Futabanosato Prefectural HospitalFumikoOkazakiDepartment of Pediatrics, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of MedicineToshitakaKizawaDepartment of Pediatrics, Japan Community Health Care Organization Sapporo Hokushin HospitalRyuheiYasuokaDepartment of Pediatrics, Hamamatsu University School of MedicineTomoakiIshikawaDepartment of Pediatrics, Nara Medical UniversityTakeshiYamamotoDepartment of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of MedicineYujiFujitaDepartment of Pediatrics, Dokkyo Medical UniversityNaohiroItohDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of FukuiAsamiTakasakiDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of ToyamaNodokaSakuraiDepartment of Pediatrics, NTT East Medical Center SapporoKazuoSuzukiSuzuki Kids ClinicTasukuTamaiDivision of General Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Oita University Faculty of MedicineNaokiHiranoDepartment of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita UniversityNamiOkamotoDepartment of Pediatrics, Osaka Rosai Hospital, Japan Organization of Occupational Health and SafetyMasakiShimizuDepartment of Pediatrics, Perinatal and Maternal Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Institute of Science TokyoBackground In the context of the global shortage of pediatric rheumatologists, mid-career specialists who can play key roles in regional education, research, and clinical practice have become increasingly important. In Japan, the Team of Mid-career Pediatric Rheumatologists Alliance (TeMPRA) was founded in 2014 to support continuing professional development (CPD) and foster collaboration among mid-career pediatric rheumatologists. The aim of this study was to characterize the current status and future perspectives of the TeMPRA members.<br>
Methods In 2024, a cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted among all 37 active members of the TeMPRA across Japan. Data were collected on career trajectories, educational roles, research activities, clinical practices, and international engagement. Categorical variables were compared using appropriate statistical tests, with a significance level of 0.05.<br>
Results Responses were obtained from 35 members (response rate: 95%). Most respondents (71%) were affiliated with university hospitals, and 60% had > 10 years of experience in pediatric rheumatology. Compared with those working in community hospitals, respondents affiliated with university hospitals were significantly more likely to be involved in research activities (50% vs. 0%, P = 0.0261) and global professional contributions (88% vs. 0%, P < 0.0001). Overall, 54% of respondents were engaged in teaching students or early-career pediatric rheumatologists, while 43% were involved in clinical or basic research, most commonly focusing on juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Collectively, respondents were responsible for the care of 1,677 children with pediatric rheumatic diseases. While all respondents reported willingness to contribute to pediatric rheumatology at the regional level, 94% and 71% reported willingness to contribute at the national and global levels, respectively.<br>
Conclusions This nationwide survey highlights the substantial educational roles, research activities, and clinical practices of mid-career pediatric rheumatologists in Japan and suggests that the TeMPRA framework can serve as a valuable model for supporting CPD and workforce sustainability. Similar alliance-based approaches may be applicable in other countries facing comparable challenges in pediatric rheumatology.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学農学部Acta Medica Okayama2186-77551152026北海道東部の森林において林冠木の細根が土壌窒素動態に与える影響912ENMasatakaNakayamaCourse of Environmental Ecology Plants release mixtures of labile organic matter from their fine roots (root exudates) into the surrounding soil (rhizosphere). Partly due to the release of root exudates, microbial community structures and their activities within the rhizosphere differ significantly from those in other soil areas (bulk soil). Consequently, nutrient cycling processes, including nitrogen mineralization, are accelerated in the rhizosphere, facilitating nutrient acquisition by plants. This phenomenon, known as the rhizosphere effect, has been repeatedly reported in studies of herbaceous plants; however, the impact of canopy tree fine roots on soil nitrogen dynamics through the effect in forest ecosystems remains largely unknown. Here, I introduce our research investigating the root exudates and rhizosphere effects of the fine roots of canopy trees, Quercus crispula, and how these fine roots affect soil nitrogen dynamics. The quantity of root exudates varied daily rather than seasonally, with solar radiation having a strong and positive effect on the amounts. However, even after leaf fall, root exudation was observed. In the rhizosphere, specific bacterial communities were present regardless of season, while ectomycorrhizal fungal populations were higher than in the bulk soil only in summer. Extracellular enzymatic activity relating to nitrogen cycling was higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil across seasons. Nitrogen uptake by the tree was likely lower in winter and spring, leading to labile nitrogen accumulation in the rhizosphere during these periods. On an annual basis, however, the impact of fine roots on apparent inorganic nitrogen dynamics was minor. These results suggest that the canopy tree, Q. crispula, accelerates soil nitrogen cycling through root exudation and rhizosphere effects, regardless of season, while the acceleration of the cycle and the utilization of available nitrogen are well-balanced annually, thereby avoiding unnecessary carbon investment.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育推進機構Acta Medica Okayama1881-595232026Teaching and Learning：Japanese and International Student Collaboration in the Classroom209226ENAlexisPUSINAJunkoOTOSHI10.18926/70122This practical report introduces three intercultural collaborative trial classes designed to integrate Japanese and international students in first-year EFL classes. Using a CLIL-informed approach, the classes promoted intercultural understanding through culturally grounded activities and small-group communication tasks. Reflection surveys from both Japanese and international participants revealed overall positive experiences, with international students expressing strong enjoyment and Japanese students highlighting both linguistic gains and communication challenges. Analysis indicates that interaction across diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds fostered intercultural awareness while motivating Japanese learners to further develop their speaking skills. The findings support the value of collaborative, content-based activities for enhancing intercultural understanding.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育推進機構Acta Medica Okayama1881-595232026オンラインによるボランティア日本語教室における参加者間のインターアクションの分析 ―地域型日本語教育の実現に向けて―3140ENMiwaSUESHIGEInstitute for Promotion of Education and Campus Life, Okayama University10.18926/70110 本研究では，地域型日本語教育のモデル構築に向け，地域型の特徴を有する教室内での支援者および参加者の発話や教授行動の傾向を明らかにすべく，外国語相互作用分析システムを用い，オンラインによるボランティア教室におけるインターアクションの分析を行った。分析の結果，（1）支援者の平均発話数が学習者より多いこと，（2）支援者の発話における間接的行動の割合が直接的行動よりもやや高いことが示された。「おしゃべり型の教育」では，学習者が伝えたいことを言語化していくプロセスの中で，間接的行動の下位分類の「質問」「学習者の意図の利用」「学習者の回答の繰り返し」等を支援者が積極的に使用し支援していることが分かった。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2730-664X612026Effects of an oral exercise intervention on pre-frailty or frailty in older people: a randomized clinical trial96ENNorikoTakeuchiDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Division of Dentistry, Medical Development Field, Okayama UniversityNanamiSawadaSection of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu UniversitySakuraInadaDivision of Health Promotion, Okayama-City Health CenterManabuMoritaDepartment of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Takarazuka University of Medical and Health CareDaisukeEkuniDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityBackground: Frailty is often experienced by older adults, which can lead to long-term health problems. We aimed to examine associations with improvements in nutritional status, sarcopenia (age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength), and frailty in four groups with different oral exercise frequencies.<br>
Methods: We conducted a prospective, parallel multi-arm randomized controlled trial (Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT) 1062210063) to test the effects of oral exercise on frailty in older adults. Each intervention consisted of a standardized oral exercise protocol including neck exercises, lip exercises, and tongue movements, designed to improve oral function and reduce frailty. The primary outcome was the change in the number of frailty criteria from baseline to follow-up. Individuals aged ≥60 years were screened for frailty status using standardized criteria at the Department of Preventive Dentistry at Okayama University Hospital between October 2022 and December 2023. Those identified as pre-frailty or frailty were eligible and enrolled in the study. After screening 60 individuals, 58 eligible participants were randomly assigned using block randomization to one of four oral exercise frequency groups: 3 times/day & everyday, 3 times/day & 3 days/week, once/day & everyday, and once/day & 3 days/week. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the impact of the four frequencies of oral exercise methods on frailty in older adults. Outcome assessors were blinded; participants were not.<br>
Results: Here we show the results of the 58 participants. Group sizes are: 3 times/day & everyday (n = 14), 3 times/day & 3 days/week (n = 15), once/day & everyday (n = 14), once/day & 3 days/week (n = 15). The trial is completed as planned, and all randomized participants are analyzed. The main effect of time is significant for the number of frailty criteria (F = 14.803, p < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.215). The mean changes from baseline to follow-up are −0.357 (95% Confidence Interval −0.787 to 0.073) in the 3 times/day & everyday group, −0.600 (95% Confidence Interval −1.255 to 0.055) in the 3 times/day & 3 days/week group, −0.571 (95% Confidence Interval −1.379 to 0.236) in the once/day & everyday group, and −0.600 (95% Confidence Interval −1.008 to −0.192) in the once/day & 3 days/week group. The main effect of time is also significant for the number of oral hypofunction criteria (F = 16.456, p < 0.001, partial eta squared = 0.234). No important adverse events or side effects related to the intervention were observed.<br>
Conclusions: After conducting oral exercises for 3 months on older adults with pre-frailty or frailty, improvements in frailty are observed. Overall, these exercises could be a simple, low-cost way to support healthy aging in the community.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1424-82202642026A Generative AI–Based Technical Data Extraction Tool for IoT Application Systems1081ENDezhengKongDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo Htoo SandiKyawDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityI Nyoman DarmaKotamaDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityZihaoZhuDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityAlfiandi AuliaRahmadaniDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNowadays, Internet of Things (IoT) application systems play an essential role in smart cities, industry, healthcare, agriculture, and smart homes. For non-expert users, designing and implementing IoT application systems remains challenging, especially when configuring sensors, edge devices, and server platforms. To support configuration tasks of IoT application systems, we have developed an AI-based setup assistance tool. However, AI models still fail to reliably support newly released or previously unseen devices, sometimes producing incomplete or erroneous outputs that may lead to configuration failures. Incorporating their technical-document information into Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) is an effective way to supplement AI knowledge and improve reliability. In this paper, we propose a generative AI-based technical data extraction tool to address the challenges. It extracts essential technical information using the schema-based extraction from given PDF or HTML datasheets and converts it into a structured format suitable for AI-supported configurations. A local vector database is used to enable semantic similarity retrieval and provide document-grounded evidence for RAG-based answering, ensuring consistent support for previously unseen IoT devices. For evaluations, we applied the proposal to several sensor and device datasheets and compared extracted specifications with ground-truth values to measure accuracy and completeness. Then, we compared end-to-end configuration QA reliability against a commercial baseline (ChatPDF) using the golden benchmark. The results show that the proposed tool reliably acquires key specifications and significantly improves end-to-end configuration QA reliability. Across 960 golden QA pairs, the proposed method improves Recall from 0.636 to 0.926 and Accuracy from 0.595 to 0.807 compared with ChatPDF.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1999-48931922026A Slide Annotation System with Multimodal Analysis for Video Presentation Review110ENAmma LiesvarastrantaHazDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKomang CandraBrataDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo Htoo SandiKyawDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityEvianita DewiFajriantiHuman Centric Multimedia Research Laboratory, Department of Informatic and Computer Engineering, Politeknik Elektronika Negeri SurabayaSritrustaSukaridhotoHuman Centric Multimedia Research Laboratory, Department of Informatic and Computer Engineering, Politeknik Elektronika Negeri SurabayaWith the rapid growth of online presentations, there has been an increasing need for efficient review of recorded materials. In typical presentations, speakers verbally elaborate on each slide, providing details not captured in the slides themselves. Automatically extracting and embedding these verbal explanations at their corresponding slide locations can greatly enhance the review process for audiences. This paper presents a Slide Annotation System that employs a robust hybrid two-stage detector to identify slide boundaries, extracts slide text through Optical Character Recognition (OCR), transcribes narration, and employs a multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) to generate concise, context-aware annotations that are added to their corresponding slide locations. For evaluations, the technical performance was validated on five recorded presentations, while the user experience was assessed by 37 participants. The results showed that the system achieved a macro-average 𝐹1 score of 0.879 (𝑆𝐷=0.024, 95% 𝐶𝐼[0.849,0.909]) for slide segmentation and 90.0% accuracy (95% 𝐶𝐼[74.4%,96.5%]) for annotation alignment. Subjective evaluations revealed high annotation validity and usefulness as rated by presenters, and a high System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 80.5 (𝑆𝐷=6.7, 95% 𝐶𝐼[78.3,82.7]). Qualitative feedback further confirmed that the system effectively streamlined the review process, enabling users to locate key information more efficiently than standard video playback. These findings demonstrate the strong potential of the proposed system as an effective automated annotation system.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2079-929214242025An AI-Driven System for Learning MQTT Communication Protocols with Python Programming4967ENZihaoZhuDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo HtooSandi KyawDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityI Nyoman DarmaKotamaDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityAnak Agung SuryaPradhanaDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityAlfiandi AuliaRahmadaniDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNopriantoDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityWith rapid developments of wireless communication and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, an increasing number of devices and sensors are interconnected, generating massive amounts of data in real time. Among the underlying protocols, Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) has become a widely adopted lightweight publish–subscribe standard due to its simplicity, minimal overhead, and scalability. Then, understanding such protocols is essential for students and engineers engaging in IoT application system designs. However, teaching and learning MQTT remains challenging for them. Its asynchronous architecture, hierarchical topic structure, and constituting concepts such as retained messages, Quality of Service (QoS) levels, and wildcard subscriptions are often difficult for beginners. Moreover, traditional learning resources emphasize theory and provide limited hands-on guidance, leading to a steep learning curve. To address these challenges, we propose an AI-assisted, exercise-based learning platform for MQTT. This platform provides interactive exercises with intelligent feedback to bridge the gap between theory and practice. To lower the barrier for learners, all code examples for executing MQTT communication are implemented in Python for readability, and Docker is used to ensure portable deployments of the MQTT broker and AI assistant. For evaluations, we conducted a usability study using two groups. The first group, who has no prior experience, focused on fundamental concepts with AI-guided exercises. The second group, who has relevant background, engaged in advanced projects to apply and reinforce their knowledge. The results show that the proposed platform supports learners at different levels, reduces frustrations, and improves both engagement and efficiency.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X8012026Changes in Prescribing Patterns of Antiviral Drugs before and after Public Coverage Termination among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Regional Hospitals in Japan: A Retrospective, Multicenter Study5562ENHidemasaAkazawaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences,HideharuHagiyaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalShinnosukeFukushimaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalShoheiYamamotoDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences,YasuhiroNakanoDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences,FumioOtsukaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences,Original Article10.18926/AMO/70073In Japan, antiviral agents for COVID-19 were freely available until September 2023 as part of national policy. This study evaluated changes in these agents’ prescribing patterns and the patient outcomes following the policy shift. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study at four hospitals in Japan’s Okayama and Kagawa prefectures from January 2022 to March 2024. The study period was divided into the public-expenditure phase (January 2022 to September 2023) and the post-expenditure phase (October 2023 to March 2024). We extracted the hospitalized patients’ clinical data from the electronic database. The study’s primary outcome was the antiviral prescription rate; the secondary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Among the 302 hospitalized patients (median age 85 years), 52.0% were classified as having a mild condition. Of the patients with mild conditions, 37.7% were diagnosed in outpatient settings prior to hospitalization. During the public-expenditure phase, 47.4% of the patients received antivirals as outpatients, mainly molnupiravir (80.9%). In the post-expenditure period, 80.0% of the patients were prescribed antivirals, mostly molnupiravir (91.7%). The antiviral prescription rate was significantly higher after the policy change. The overall in-hospital mortality was 15.8%, with no significant difference between the two periods (17.0% vs. 10.5%). Despite the termination of government funding, antiviral prescriptions remained frequent at community hospitals located in highly aging regions of western Japan such as Okayama and Kagawa prefectures. Mortality remains high among the elderly, highlighting the need for continued antiviral therapy and booster vaccinations.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X8012026Development of a Stroke Discharge Support Evaluation Scale for Ward Nurses in Acute Care Hospitals1730ENHidekiYanoDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Human Health Sciences, Niimi UniversityYokoTakahataGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakeshiYamaguchiFaculty of Nursing, Shikoku UniversityShinyaSaitoGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/70069This study aimed to develop a scale enabling nurses to objectively evaluate their own stroke discharge support, as a basis for enhancing its overall effectiveness. A draft scale was created based on a literature review, and consisted of a 51-item, 5-point Likert-type questionnaire administered to ward nurses engaged in stroke discharge support at acute care hospitals. Factor analysis was performed to refine the scale. Construct validity was assessed using the known-groups method, and reliability was evaluated through internal consistency analysis. The resulting Stroke Discharge Support Evaluation Scale comprises 29 items across 5 factors, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Analysis of the data collected from 237 valid responses demonstrated good internal consistency and supported the scale’s construct validity. The Stroke Discharge Support Evaluation Scale is a reliable and valid tool enabling ward nurses in acute care hospitals to evaluate their own stroke discharge support.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama2769-2558512026Cardiogenic cerebral infarction after Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient with catatonia: A case reporte70285ENMasakiFujiwaraDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Medical Development Field, Okayama UniversityYutoYamadaDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazuhiroOsawaDepartment of General Internal Medicine 3, Kawasaki Medical School General Medical CenterShinjiSakamotoDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasafumiKodamaOkayama Psychiatric Medical CenterBackground: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a transient cardiac condition often triggered by an emotional or physical stress. TTC usually has a benign clinical course with full recovery. However, in rare cases, TTC is complicated by cardiogenic shock, left ventricular rupture, or ventricular thrombus. We report a case of a patient with catatonia who developed TTC and subsequently experienced extensive cerebral infarction.<br>
Case Presentation: A 71-year-old woman with no prior psychiatric history was admitted for catatonia following a suicide attempt. During hospitalization, she exhibited electrocardiography (ECG) abnormalities and elevated D-dimer levels. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed apical hypokinesis and basal hyperkinesis, consistent with TTC, along with an intraventricular thrombus. Cardiovascular CT angiography confirmed normal coronary arteries. She was diagnosed with TTC complicated by left ventricular thrombus and deep vein thrombosis. Anticoagulant therapy was initiated. Despite improvement in catatonia with lorazepam, she developed right hemiplegia and aphasia on Day 5 due to cardiogenic cerebral infarction from thromboembolism. Thrombolytic therapy was not indicated, and conservative treatment was provided. Although cardiac function normalized by Day 16, she was left with severe neurological deficits.<br>
Conclusion: The case highlights the diagnostic challenges of TTC in non-communicative psychiatric patients and the potential for severe complications. Psychiatrists need to be aware of the development of TTC as a serious physical complication in patients with catatonia.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.BMJActa Medica Okayama2044-605515122025Effectiveness of education programme to increase competency of health cadres in Indonesia: a cluster non-randomised controlled triale095428ENDewieSulistyoriniGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityK A T M EhsanulHuqGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityAbdulfatai OlamilekanBabaitaGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversitySadia AAiveyGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityGaoHuiyingGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityKanaKazawaFaculty of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityYasukoFukushimaGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityMayumiKakoGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityMichikoMoriyamaGraduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityObjectives Health cadres, who assist midwives in supporting pregnant women in community settings, need to enhance their competencies in identifying risk factors and referring high-risk pregnant women to midwives for further care. Since the capabilities of these health cadres are influenced by maternal complications, an educational programme was implemented to strengthen their skills. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the competency of health cadres by providing a researcher-developed educational programme.<br>
Design An open-label, cluster non-randomised controlled trial.<br>
Setting and participants Health cadres with at least 1 year of work experience were recruited at six public health centres (PHCs) in Banjarnegara Regency, Indonesia.<br>
Interventions Six PHCs were selected and allocated into intervention group (IG=3 PHCs) and control group (CG=3 PHCs) groups. A total of 133 female health cadres were enrolled across the selected PHCs. At each PHC, a systematic random sampling method was used to select the participants. The researchers and health professionals provided a 3-week period of theoretical and scenario-based simulations to the IG, while the CG received no education.<br>
Outcome measures Researcher-developed questionnaires and checklists were used to assess the knowledge, skills (health assessment, communication, attitude) and confidence. The primary endpoint was competency, a total score of knowledge and skills. The outcome domains were compared between the two groups, and a linear mixed-effect model was used to account for cluster-level variation.<br>
Results A total of 130 (97.7%) completed the study (IG:64, CG:66). The competency score showed significant improvement at endline (CG=49.5 and IG=52.5; p=0.002). The median scores for health assessment skills (CG=12 vs IG=14; p<0.001) and communication skills (CG=7 vs IG=8; p<0.001) were increased in the IG compared with the CG. Mixed-effect model indicated that groups (β (95% CI) 2.49 (0.57 to 4.41), p=0.012), baseline knowledge (β(95% CI) 0.73 (0.54 to 0.92), p<0.001) and midline health assessment skills (β (95% CI) 0.54 (0.25 to 0.82), p<0.001) were significant positive predictors, while age was negatively associated with competency (β (95% CI) −0.20 (−0.30 to −0.10), p<0.001)).<br>
Conclusion Education effectively increased the competency of health cadres. A well-structured education programme is necessary for health cadres to improve and maintain their competencies in monitoring high-risk pregnant women.<br>
Trial registration number NCT06134518.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.American Society for MicrobiologyActa Medica Okayama0099-22402025Efficient resuscitation of early-stage viable but non-culturable cells of Vibrio cholerae using treatment with proteolytic enzymesENShin-ichiMiyoshiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityMonaOgasawaraGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityShihoNiwakiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityRenaSugiharaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityBasilua AndreMuzemboResearch Institute of Nursing Care for People and Community, University of HyogoDaisukeImamuraResearch Center for Intestinal Health Science, Okayama UniversityVibrio cholerae, the etiological agent of cholera, is ubiquitous in environmental brackish waters. Exposure to low water temperatures induces the bacterium to enter a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state. In this study, a stepwise decrease in water temperature to 4°C was found to delay the transition to the non-culturable state compared to an abrupt temperature drop, suggesting that V. cholerae cells partially adapt to low temperatures. V. cholerae VBNC cells maintained at 4°C gradually lost their ability to revert to a culturable state. However, VBNC cells in the early stage of dormancy were efficiently resuscitated following treatment with proteolytic enzymes, including proteinase K. The abundance of culturable V. cholerae cells in brackish estuarine waters was quantified using the most probable number (MPN)–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method. Although culturable cells were undetectable in samples treated with bovine serum albumin, they were estimated at 93 and 1,500 MPN/mL in two water samples collected on different days and pre-incubated with proteinase K. Similarly, the abundance of Vibrio species increased markedly following treatment with this enzyme. Additionally, cells of Vibrio species were enumerated by the plating method using CHROMagar Vibrio plates. Consistent with the results of the MPN–qPCR method, treatment with proteinase K resulted in over a 100-fold increase in colony formation. Collectively, these findings suggest that treatment with proteinase K is effective for resuscitating and quantifying V. cholerae VBNC cells in environmental water samples.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)Acta Medica Okayama2056-98908222026Crystal structure of tris[4-(3,4-dimethoxythiophen-2-yl)phenyl]amineE82ENMasafumiYanoKansai UniversityYukiyasuKashiwagiOsaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and TechnologyKokiOishiKansai UniversityMinoriYanoKansai UniversityKoichiMitsudoOkayama UniversityIn the title compound tris[4-(3,4-dimethoxythiophen-2-yl)phenyl]amine (DMOT-TPA), C36H33NO6S3, the central nitrogen atom shows no pyramidalization, with the three para-phenylene rings arranged in a propeller-like geometry. Each thiophene ring is twisted by about 25–29° relative to the adjacent phenylene ring, giving a distorted π-conjugated framework. In the crystal, molecules are linked through multiple C―H⋯π interactions into two-dimensional sheets, which extend into a three-dimensional network. A Cambridge Structural Database survey revealed no prior examples of triphenylamines bearing 3,4-dimethoxythiophen units at the para positions. This unique structure provides new insights into the design of redox-active organic materials.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.BMJActa Medica Okayama0143-005X8022025Exposure-induced mediator–outcome confounders in causal mediation: implications and visualisation129130ENEtsujiSuzukiDepartment of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTomohiroShinozakiInterfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, the University of TokyoEijiYamamotoOkayama University of ScienceNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama0300-81262025Hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 15AENHidemasaAkazawaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalShinnosukeFukushimaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalKentaNakamotoDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalKoheiOguniDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalMadokaShimbeDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalBinChangDepartment of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityYukihiroAkedaDepartment of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan Institute for Health SecurityHideharuHagiyaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalBackground Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia but is an infrequent pathogen in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Non-vaccine serotypes of multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. pneumoniae strains have been emerging globally, posing an increased risk of nosocomial infection.<br>
Case A 71 year-old man developed pneumonia on postoperative day 4 following spinal fusion surgery. Despite initial treatment with ampicillin/sulbactam, his condition deteriorated, requiring ICU admission and mechanical ventilation. Microbiological testing confirmed S. pneumoniae as a causative pathogen, and ceftriaxone was empirically administered based on the local antibiogram. However, antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed resistant profiles to penicillin (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC], 8 µg/mL), ceftriaxone (MIC, 16 µg/mL), meropenem (MIC, 1 µg/mL), macrolides, and clindamycin, while demonstrating susceptibility to levofloxacin and vancomycin. The therapeutic regimen was subsequently adjusted to levofloxacin, resulting in clinical improvement. The isolate was later identified as serotype 15A, sequence type 63 (ST63).<br>
Conclusion This case highlights that MDR S. pneumoniae can cause early-onset HAP and may not be covered by standard empiric therapies, emphasizing the need for careful evaluation of treatment response. Continued surveillance of infections caused by vaccine-escape clones like MDR serotype 15A is essential, given their increasing clinical relevance.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Tech Science PressActa Medica Okayama1546-22268522025A Spectrum Allocation and Security-Sensitive Task Offloading Algorithm in MEC Using DVS34373455ENXianweiLiSchool of Computer and Information Engineering, Bengbu UniversityBoWeiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityXiaoyingYangSchool of Information Engineering, Suzhou UniversityAmrTolbaComputer Science and Engineering Department, College of Applied Studies, King Saud UniversityZijianZengInstitute of Computer Science and Digital Innovation, UCSI UniversityOsamaAlfarrajComputer Science and Engineering Department, College of Applied Studies, King Saud UniversityWith the advancements of the next-generation communication networking and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, a variety of computation-intensive applications (e.g., autonomous driving and face recognition) have emerged. The execution of these IoT applications demands a lot of computing resources. Nevertheless, terminal devices (TDs) usually do not have sufficient computing resources to process these applications. Offloading IoT applications to be processed by mobile edge computing (MEC) servers with more computing resources provides a promising way to address this issue. While a significant number of works have studied task offloading, only a few of them have considered the security issue. This study investigates the problem of spectrum allocation and security-sensitive task offloading in an MEC system. Dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) technology is applied by TDs to reduce energy consumption and computing time. To guarantee data security during task offloading, we use AES cryptographic technique. The studied problem is formulated as an optimization problem and solved by our proposed efficient offloading scheme. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can reduce system cost while guaranteeing data security.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2399-3642812025A genome-wide association study identifies the GPM6A locus associated with age at onset in ALS1720ENRyoichiNakamuraDepartment of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineGenkiTohnaiDivision of ALS Research, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineNaokiAtsutaDepartment of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineYumiMatsudaPublic Health Informatics Unit, Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of MedicineSatoruMorimotoKeio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, KawasakiDaisukeItoDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of MedicineMasahisaKatsunoDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of MedicineYuishinIzumiDepartment of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesMitsuyaMoritaDivision of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical UniversityIkukoIwataDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido UniversityIchiroYabeDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido UniversityTomokoNakazatoDepartment of Neurology, Juntendo University School of MedicineNobutakaHattoriDepartment of Neurology, Juntendo University School of MedicineTakehisaHirayamaDepartment of Neurology, Toho University Faculty of MedicineOsamuKanoDepartment of Neurology, Toho University Faculty of MedicineAsakoTamuraDepartment of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of MedicineNaokiSuzukiDepartment of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of MedicineMasashiAokiDepartment of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of MedicineKazumotoShibuyaDepartment of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba UniversitySatoshiKuwabaraDepartment of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba UniversityMasayaOdaDepartment of Neurology, Vihara Hananosato HospitalRinaHashimotoDepartment of Neurology, NHO Higashinagoya National HospitalIkukoAibaDepartment of Neurology, NHO Higashinagoya National HospitalTomohikoIshiharaDepartment of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata UniversityOsamuOnoderaDepartment of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata UniversityToruYamashitaDepartment of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiroyukiIshiuraDepartment of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKotaBokudaDepartment of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological HospitalToshioShimizuDepartment of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological HospitalYoshioIkedaDepartment of Neurology, Gunma University Graduate School of MedicineKazukoHasegawaDivision of Neurology, NHO Sagamihara National HospitalFumiakiTanakaDepartment of Neurology and Stroke Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of MedicineTakanoriYokotaDepartment of Neurology and Neurological Science, NucleoTIDE and PepTIDE Drug Discovery Center (TIDE), Institute of Science TokyoKazuakiKanaiDepartment of Neurology, Fukushima Medical University School of MedicineYu-ichiNotoDepartment of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of MedicineRyujiKajiDepartment of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesHirohisaWatanabeDepartment of Neurology, Fujita Health UniversityTomokoKonishiDivision of ALS Research, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineMikikoHasegawaDivision of ALS Research, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineHozukiFukayaDivision of ALS Research, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineJun-ichiNiwaDepartment of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineManabuDoyuDepartment of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineYoheiOkadaDepartment of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineShihoNakamuraKeio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, KawasakiFumikoOzawaKeio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, KawasakiHideyukiOkanoKeio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, KawasakiMasahiroNakatochiPublic Health Informatics Unit, Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of MedicineGenSobueDivision of ALS Research, Aichi Medical University School of MedicineAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) exhibits considerable clinical variability, such as differences in age at onset (AAO). Multiple factors, including genetic factors, may underlie this variability; however, the specific determinants remain unclear. To identify genes affecting AAO, we have conducted a genome-wide association study in Japanese patients with ALS (discovery cohort: n = 1808; replication cohort: n = 207). Here, we show that the minor A allele of rs113161727 at the ADAM29-GPM6A locus is associated with a younger AAO in the discovery cohort (effect, -4.27 years; p = 4.60 × 10-8); this finding has been confirmed in the replication cohort (p = 0.0068) and meta-analysis (p = 1.08 × 10−9). Among 65 ALS patients with a SOD1 mutation, the AAO has been found to be 10.2 years younger in those with the A allele than in those without it (p = 0.002). This variant correlates with GPM6A upregulation in iPSC-derived motor neurons, suggesting GPM6A as a candidate AAO modifier. Overall, our study highlights the impact of genetic modifiers on ALS heterogeneity and provides a potential target for delaying disease onset.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama1873-96011942025Interaction between nuclear‐translocated cellular communication network factor 2 and purine‐rich box 1 regulates the expression of fibrosis‐related genese70051ENXuan ThiNguyenDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSatoshiKubotaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasaharuTakigawaAdvanced Research Center for Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Okayama University Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Okayama JapanTakashiNishidaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesCellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2) with a nuclear localization signal-like peptide is known to promote fibrosis. However, translocation of CCN2 into the nucleus and its role in fibrosis remain unclear. We hypothesized that nuclear-translocated CCN2 is associated with purine-rich box 1 (PU.1), which is a transcription factor regulating the differentiation of myofibroblasts. Western blot analysis of the cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions of cell lysate and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that CCN2 was detectable in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of murine fibroblastic NIH3T3 cells. Additionally, chromatin immunoprecipitation (IP)-PCR and an electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that recombinant CCN2 protein bound to the regulatory region of Spi1, which encodes PU.1. Furthermore, IP-Western blot analysis showed that CCN2 interacted with PU.1. Finally, the forced expression of both Ccn2 and Spi1 significantly promoted the production of angiotensin II, and increased fibrosis-related molecules, such as Col1a1 and Acta2, at the gene and protein levels. These findings indicate that CCN2 translocated to the nucleus interacts with PU.1 and that the complex promotes the markers of myofibroblast differentiation, suggesting that CCN2 plays an important role in fibrosis via cooperation with PU.1, as a transcription co-factor.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Fuji Technology Press Ltd.Acta Medica Okayama1883-80493762025Directed Poisoning Attacks on FRIT in Adaptive Cruise Control13921399ENTaichiIkezakiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKenjiSawadaGraduate school of Mechanical Engineering, The University of OsakaOsamuKanekoGraduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-CommunicationsRecent advances in connected-vehicle technologies have enabled the large-scale collection of driving data, facilitating the deployment of data-driven control schemes. Although these methods offer advantages by eliminating the need for explicit modeling, they also introduce vulnerabilities due to their reliance on stored data. This study investigates a class of targeted data poisoning attacks on fictitious reference iterative tuning, a widely used data-driven controller tuning approach. We present a method that allows an adversary to influence closed-loop dynamics by manipulating the training data so that the resulting controller behavior matches a maliciously defined reference response. This strategy differs from conventional poisoning attacks, which aim only to the degrade control performance. Instead, it enables deliberate alteration of control characteristics such as overshoot and convergence time. The proposed attack is formulated as a constrained optimization problem under bounded tampering signals. Through a numerical study involving adaptive cruise control with stop functionality, we show that minor data modifications, indistinguishable from sensor noise, can cause significant degradation in control behavior. These findings highlight the need for robust security mechanisms in data-driven control implementation.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama2189-79482642025Video review by utilizing asynchronous video communication platform375378ENYukiOtsukaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesEikoMitsudaKato & Namiki-dori HospitalYukichikaYamamotoDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAtsushiKatoDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesManoSoshiBonBon, IncMasayaHiguchiHarvard Medical SchoolMikakoObikaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesFumioOtsukaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTadayukiHashimotoDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's HospitalBackground: Video review is widely recognized as an effective method for teaching communication; however, it can increase educators' workload and learners' stress.<br>
Methods: We utilized Tsucom, an online platform developed by BonBon, Inc., which enables asynchronous video communication instead of traditional styles. An 11-min and 42-s consultation video from a fifth-year resident was uploaded, and 10 physicians provided 30 text-based feedback.<br>
Results: In this pilot survey, the utility and ease of use were rated 4.4 and 4.1 out of 5, respectively.<br>
Conclusions: While asynchronous online video reviews provided flexibility and greater participation, challenges remain, and further trials and evaluations were deemed necessary.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2399-3642812025Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic characterization of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma1773ENAtsushiMatsuokaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazuhikoShienDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShutaTomidaMasayoshiOhkiDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazuyaHisamatsuDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesRyotaFujiwaraDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKoseiIshimuraDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesRyunosukeFujiiDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTomoakiHigashiharaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesNaohiroHayashiDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazuhiroOkadaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesRyoYoshichikaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesFumiakiMukoharaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMaoYoshikawaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYumaFukumotoDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKenSuzawaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYasuakiTomiokaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShinTanakaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKentarohMiyoshiDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMikioOkazakiDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSeiichiroSugimotoDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYusukeOtaniDepartment of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterAtsushiTanakaDepartment of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHirofumiInoueCenter for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University HospitalYosukeTogashiDepartment of Tumor Microenvironment, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHidetakaYamamotoDepartment of Pathology and Oncology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesDaisukeEnnishiCenter for Comprehensive Genomic Medicine, Okayama University HospitalShinichiToyookaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesPulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a rare subtype of lung cancer that comprises both epithelial and sarcomatoid components. The molecular basis of PPC, including the cellular dynamics of its components, remains largely unknown. To elucidate potential therapeutic targets for PPC, we perform a multi-omics analysis incorporating digital spatial profiling and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). PPC exhibits diverse driver gene alterations, including MET exon 14 skipping mutation (METex14) and ALK fusion. In spatial transcriptomics, MET gene and protein are overexpressed exclusively within the epithelial component and not in the sarcomatoid component, even in patients harboring METex14. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related transcriptional changes, along with extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling between the epithelial and sarcomatoid components, are observed. scRNA-seq identifies cell populations within the epithelial component that contribute to the malignant transformation and differentiation of the sarcomatoid component. They are characterized by an intermediate EMT state with ECM remodeling signature, suggesting their potential as novel therapeutic targets for PPC.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama2468-2942452025Neoadjuvant FOLFOXIRI for locally advanced rectal cancer: A retrospective analysis focusing on long-term anal preservation101049ENRyoheiShojiDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesFuminoriTeraishiDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYukiMatsumiDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYusukeYoshidaDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesNobuhikoKanayaDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKunitoshiShigeyasuDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshitakaKondoDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshikoMoriDepartment of Digestive Tract and General Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical UniversityShunsukeKagawaDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshiyoshiFujiwaraDepartment of Gastroenterological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTo investigate the safety and efficacy of FOLFOXIRI as neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The outcomes of preoperative and perioperative treatments, as well as long-term outcomes, were retrospectively compared between 26 patients who underwent FOLFOXIRI as NAC for LARC with cT3–4 and/or N+ at our institute between 2015 and 2022, and 31 patients with LARC who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CAPOX-RT) at our institute between 2011 and 2022. Grade 3 or higher adverse events due to neoadjuvant treatment were significantly more common in the FOLFOXIRI group (11 cases, 42.3 %) than in the CAPOX-RT group (3 cases, 9.7 %), and most of these were neutropenia. Based on the postoperative pathological findings, the complete response rate was significantly lower in the FOLFOXIRI group (1 case, 3.8 %) than in the CAPOX-RT group (7 cases, 22.6 %), but there were no significant differences in the R0 resection rate, survival rate, or relapse-free survival rate. In the CAPOX-RT group, 17 patients (54.8 %) had anal preservation, and during the observation period, 4 patients required stoma construction due to loss of anal function in the late stage. In contrast, in the FOLFOXIRI group, there were no cases of loss of anal function among the 20 patients (76.9 %) who had anal preservation. FOLFOXIRI as NAC requires caution regarding hematological toxicity, but it can be an effective treatment option for patients with LARC who wish to preserve their anus.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama1748-37352112025Japanese Adult Day Service Nurses' Bathing Decisions for Persons Requiring Long‐Term Care: A Focused Ethnographye70052ENKanakoMiyoshiGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityKeikoMoriGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityIntroduction: Adult day services in Japan operate under the Long-Term Care Insurance Law, and care is provided mainly by caregivers. However, because doctors are often not on site, nurses manage the health of the person requiring long-term care. Adult day services provide bathing and functional training; however, although Japanese-style bathing relieves fatigue and brings a sense of well-being, it also entails the risk of bathing accidents for those in need of care. To continue living at home, those in need of care who have difficulty bathing at home must be provided with safe bathing during adult day services and supported in returning home safely. Nurses are responsible for accurately assessing the health status of users and implementing safe bathing. This study aimed to identify how nurses working in adult day services make bathing decisions for home-dwelling persons requiring long-term care.<br>
Method: Qualitative manifest and latent content analyses were performed using a focused ethnography.<br>
Findings: Six themes were identified: ‘gather information to compare with baseline’, ‘make observations based on information from others to understand the big picture’, ‘give persons time to get in shape’, ‘consideration of life at home’, ‘determining the need for medical institutions’ and ‘devise ways to communicate to promote collaboration’.<br>
Conclusions: Adult day service nurses' decisions about whether to bathe persons requiring care are characterised by their emphasis on information from others, consideration of the home living conditions of persons requiring care and their wishes regarding bathing. In addition, based on their observations, they determine the need for cooperation with medical institutions and communicate this information to family members and multiple professions.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2041-17231612025Efficient and stable n-type sulfide overall water splitting with separated hydrogen production8786ENHaolinLuoResearch Center for Combustion and Environment Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityZhixiLiuResearch Center for Combustion and Environment Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityHaifengLvState Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Material Sciences, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), University of Science and Technology of ChinaJunie Jhon M.VequizoInstitute of Aqua Regeneration, Shinshu UniversityMengtingZhengCollege of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang UniversityFengHanResearch Center for Combustion and Environment Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityZhenYeResearch Center for Combustion and Environment Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAkiraYamakataFaculty of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityWenfengShangguanResearch Center for Combustion and Environment Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAdam F.LeeCentre for Catalysis and Clean Energy, School of Environment and Science, Griffith UniversityXiaojunWuState Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Material Sciences, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), University of Science and Technology of ChinaDomenKazunariInstitute of Aqua Regeneration, Shinshu UniversityJunLuCollege of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang UniversityZhiJiangResearch Center for Combustion and Environment Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityN-type sulfide semiconductors are promising photocatalysts due to their broad visible-light absorption, facile synthesis and chemical diversity. However, photocorrosion and limited electron transport in one-step excitation and solid-state Z-scheme systems hinder efficient overall water splitting. Liquid-phase Z-schemes offer a viable alternative, but sluggish mediator kinetics and interfacial side reactions impede their construction. Here we report a stable Z-scheme system integrating n-type CdS and BiVO₄ with a [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻/[Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻ mediator, achieving 10.2% apparent quantum yield at 450 nm with stoichiometric H₂/O₂ evolution. High activity reflects synergies between Pt@CrOx and Co3O4 cocatalysts on CdS, and cobalt-directed facet asymmetry in BiVO₄, resulting in matched kinetics for hydrogen and oxygen evolution in a reversible mediator solution. Stability is dramatically improved through coating CdS and BiVO4 with different oxides to inhibit Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 precipitation and deactivation by a hitherto unrecognized mechanism. Separate hydrogen and oxygen production is also demonstrated in a two-compartment reactor under visible light and ambient conditions. This work unlocks the long-sought potential of n-type sulfides for efficient, durable and safe solar-driven hydrogen production.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama2211-546315102025Osmotic pressure‐induced calcium response states17141722ENZidanGaoDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKeijiNaruseFaculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Okayama JapanMasatoshiMorimatsuFaculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Okayama JapanOsmotic pressure is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis; however, the mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to acute osmotic stress remain incompletely understood. Here, we applied rapid osmotic pressure stimulation to cultured HEK293T cells and observed dynamic intracellular calcium responses. Acute hypotonic stimulation evoked calcium response patterns, whereas hypertonic and isotonic stress did not elicit similar effects. Mechanistically, these calcium signals originated from the endoplasmic reticulum via ryanodine receptor 2 and propagated to neighboring cells through Connexin 43-mediated gap junctions. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for calcium signaling in the acute cellular response to osmotic stress, providing new insights into the mechanisms of intercellular communication during osmotic adaptation.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2078-248916102025A Comparative Study of Authoring Performances Between In-Situ Mobile and Desktop Tools for Outdoor Location-Based Augmented Reality908ENKomang CandraBrataDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo HtooSandi KyawDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityPrismahardi AjiRiyantokoDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNopriantoDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityMustikaMentariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityIn recent years, Location-Based Augmented Reality (LAR) systems have been increasingly implemented in various applications for tourism, navigation, education, and entertainment. Unfortunately, the LAR content creation using conventional desktop-based authoring tools has become a bottleneck, as it requires time-consuming and skilled work. Previously, we proposed an in-situ mobile authoring tool as an efficient solution to this problem by offering direct authoring interactions in real-world environments using a smartphone. Currently, the evaluation through the comparison between the proposal and conventional ones is not sufficient to show superiority, particularly in terms of interaction, authoring performance, and cognitive workload, where our tool uses 6DoF device movement for spatial input, while desktop ones rely on mouse-pointing. In this paper, we present a comparative study of authoring performances between the tools across three authoring phases: (1) Point of Interest (POI) location acquisition, (2) AR object creation, and (3) AR object registration. For the conventional tool, we adopt Unity and ARCore SDK. As a real-world application, we target the LAR content creation for pedestrian landmark annotation across campus environments at Okayama University, Japan, and Brawijaya University, Indonesia, and identify task-level bottlenecks in both tools. In our experiments, we asked 20 participants aged 22 to 35 with different LAR development experiences to complete equivalent authoring tasks in an outdoor campus environment, creating various LAR contents. We measured task completion time, phase-wise contribution, and cognitive workload using NASA-TLX. The results show that our tool made faster creations with 60% lower cognitive loads, where the desktop tool required higher mental efforts with manual data input and object verifications.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Oxford University Press (OUP)Acta Medica Okayama2730-6151512025Proliferation of a bloom-forming phytoplankton via uptake of polyphosphate-accumulating bacteria under phosphate-limiting conditionsycaf192ENSeiyaFukuyamaInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityFumikoUsamiInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityRyuichiHirotaGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima UniversityAyanoSatohGraduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University ShizukaOharaGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima UniversityKenKondoResearch Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries , Osaka PrefectureYukiGomibuchiDepartment of Physics and Information Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of TechnologyTakuoYasunagaDepartment of Physics and Information Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of TechnologyToshimitsuOndukaHatsukaichi Branch, Fisheries Technology Institute , Fisheries Research and Education AgencyAkioKurodaGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima UniversityKazuhikoKoikeGraduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima UniversityShokoUekiInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityHarmful algal blooms negatively impact the ecosystem and fisheries in affected areas. Eutrophication is a major factor contributing to bloom occurrence, and phosphorus is particularly important in limiting the growth of bloom-forming algae. Although algae efficiently utilize orthophosphate (Pi) as a phosphorous source over other molecular forms, Pi is often limited in the marine environment. While uptake and utilization of soluble inorganic and organic phosphorous by bloom-forming algae has been extensively studied, the details of geochemical and biological phosphorous cycling remain to be elucidated. Here, we report for the first time that the bloom-forming alga Heterosigma akashiwo can phagocytose bacteria and grow under phosphate-depleted conditions. The addition of Vibrio comitans to Pi-depleted H. akashiwo enabled the alga propagate to high cell densities, whereas other bacterial strains had only a minor effect. Importantly, V. comitans accumulates polyphosphate―a linear polymer of Pi―at high levels. The extent of algal proliferation induced by the addition of Vibrio species and polyphosphate-accumulating Escherichia coli correlated strongly with their polyphosphate content, indicating that bacterial polyphosphate served as an alternative PO43− source for H. akashiwo. The direct uptake of polyphosphate-accumulating bacteria through algal phagocytosis may represent a novel biological phosphorous-cycling pathway in marine ecosystems. The role of polyphosphate-accumulating marine bacteria as a hidden phosphorous source required for bloom formation warrants further investigation.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Informa UK LimitedActa Medica Okayama2766-0400512025Linking structure and process in dendritic growth using persistent homology with energy analysis2475735ENMisatoToneDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceShunsukeSatoDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceSotaroKuniiDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceIppeiObayashiCenter for Artificial Intelligence and Mathematical Data Science, Okayama UniversityYasuakiHiraokaKyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto UniversityYuiOgawaNTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT CorporationHirokazuFukidomeResearch Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku UniversityAlexandre LiraFoggiattoDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceChiharuMitsumataDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceRyunosukeNagaokaDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceArpitaVaradwajDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceIwaoMatsudaInstitute for Solid State Physics, The University of TokyoMasatoKotsugiDepartment of Material Science and Technology, Tokyo University of ScienceWe present a material analysis method that links structure and process in dendritic growth using explainable machine learning approaches. We employed persistent homology (PH) to quantitatively characterize the morphology of dendritic microstructures. By using interpretable machine learning with energy analysis, we established a robust relationship between structural features and Gibbs free energy. Through a detailed analysis of how Gibbs free energy evolves with morphological changes in dendrites, we uncovered specific conditions that influence the branching of dendritic structures. Moreover, energy gradient analysis based on morphological feature provides a deeper understanding of the branching mechanisms and offers a pathway to optimize thin-film growth processes. Integrating topology and free energy enables the optimization of a range of materials from fundamental research to practical applications.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1422-006726192025Critical Requirement of Senescence-Associated CCN3 Expression in CD44-Positive Stem Cells for Osteoarthritis Progression9630ENJanvierHabumugishaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesRyuichiroOkudaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazukiHiroseDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMihoKuwaharaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesZiyiWangDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMitsuakiOnoDepartment of Oral Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiroshiKamiokaDepartment of Orthodontics, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSatoshiKubotaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakakoHattoriDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive cartilage breakdown, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone remodeling. Previous studies have shown that cellular communication network factor 3 (CCN3) expression increases with age in cartilage, and its overexpression promotes OA-like changes by inducing senescence-associated secretory phenotypes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Ccn3 knockout (KO) on OA development using a murine OA model. Destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery was performed in wild-type (WT) and Ccn3-KO mice. Histological scoring and staining were used to assess cartilage degeneration and proteoglycan loss. Gene and protein expressions of catabolic enzyme (Mmp9), hypertrophic chondrocyte marker (Col10a1), senescence marker, and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (Cdkn1a) were evaluated. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from WT and Sox9-deficient cartilage were reanalyzed to identify Ccn3+ progenitor populations. Immunofluorescence staining assessed CD44 and Ki67 expression in articular cartilage. The effects of Ccn3 knockdown on IL-1β-induced Mmp13 and Adamts5 expression in chondrocytes were examined in vitro. Ccn3 KO mice exhibited reduced cartilage degradation and catabolic gene expression compared with WT mice post-DMM. scRNA-seq revealed enriched Ccn3-Cd44 double-positive cells in osteoblast progenitor, synovial mesenchymal stem cell, and mesenchymal stem cell clusters. Immunofluorescence showed increased CCN3+/CD44+ cells in femoral and tibial cartilage and meniscus. Ki67+ cells were significantly increased in DMM-treated Ccn3 KO cartilage, mostly CD44+. In vitro Ccn3 knockdown attenuated IL-1β-induced Mmp13 and Adamts5 expressions in chondrocytes. Ccn3 contributes to OA pathogenesis by promoting matrix degradation, inducing hypertrophic changes, and restricting progenitor cell proliferation, highlighting Ccn3 as a potential therapeutic target for OA.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2076-392114122025Roles of ROS and NO in Plant Responses to Individual and Combined Salt Stress and Waterlogging1455ENTaufika IslamAneeDepartment of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia UniversityNasser A.SewelamBotany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta UniversityNonnatus S.BautistaInstitute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los BañosTakashiHirayamaInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityNobuhiroSuzukiDepartment of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia UniversityDuring the climate change era, plants are increasingly exposed to multiple environmental challenges occurring simultaneously or sequentially. Among these, salt stress and waterlogging are two major factors that severely constrain crop productivity worldwide and often occur together. To survive under such conditions, plants have evolved sophisticated systems to scavenge harmful levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Despite their cytotoxic potential, ROS also act as key signaling molecules that interact with nitric oxide (NO), Ca2+, protein kinases, ion homeostasis pathways, and plant hormones. These signaling and acclimatory mechanisms are closely associated with the functions of energy-regulating organelles―chloroplasts and mitochondria―which are major sources of ROS under both individual and combined stresses. While many of these responses are shared between salt stress, waterlogging and their combination, it is likely that specific signaling mechanisms are uniquely activated when both stresses occur together―mechanisms that cannot be inferred from responses to each stress alone. Such specificity may depend on precise coordination among organelle-derived signals and the tight regulation of their cross-communication. Within this network, ROS and NO likely serve as central hubs, fine-tuning the integration of multiple signaling pathways that enable plants to adapt to complex and fluctuating stress environments.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2025Protected Areas and Their Effects on Local Communities: Insights from VietnamENMAI THI KHANH VANGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2025A Blockchain-Based PGP Key Sharing Mechanism for Secure Email Communication ENMD. BIPLOB HOSSAINGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama universityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2025TRPV2 mediates stress resilience in mouse cardiomyocytesENYUBINGDONGGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama0006-291X7862025Hydrogen-rich gas enhances mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory function recovery in Caco-2 cells post-ischemia-reperfusion injury152753ENMizukiSeyaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshiyukiAokageBiological Process of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and GerontologyYingMengDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakahiroHirayamaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakafumiObaraDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTsuyoshiNojimaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKosakiYoshinoriDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTetsuyaYumotoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAkihiroWatanabeDepartment of Emergency, Disaster and Critical Care Medicine, Hyogo Medical UniversityTaiheiYamadaDepartment of Emergency, Disaster and Critical Care Medicine, Hyogo Medical UniversityHiromichiNaitoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAtsunoriNakaoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesBackground: Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury induces oxidative stress, leading to damage in highly susceptible intestinal tissues. Molecular hydrogen (H2) has shown therapeutic potential in I/R injuries, with our prior research showing its efficacy in improving outcomes in rat intestinal transplantation models. However, its impact on mitochondrial function remain insufficiently understood. This study aims to elucidate how H2 modulates mitochondrial function impaired by I/R injury.<br>
Methods: To assess the effects of H2 on I/R injury, cells were divided into three groups: a control group, a hypoxic group (99 % N2, 1 % O2, without H2 for 3, 6, or 24 h), and a hypoxic-H2 group (99 % H2, 1 % O2, for the same durations). After treatment, cells were reoxygenated under normoxic conditions (21 % O2) for 1, 2, 4, or 6 h. Mitochondrial membrane potential, oxygen consumption, and ATP production were measured. Reactive oxygen species production and apoptotic and metabolic regulators were also assessed.<br>
Results: H2 markedly promoting mitochondrial recovery following I/R injury, by enhancing ATP production, restoring mitochondrial membrane potential, and improving oxygen consumption. It also reduced ROS levels and suppressed pro-apoptotic signaling. Notably, H2 suppressed the expression of HIF1α and PDK1, suggesting that H2 may act upstream of hypoxia-driven signaling pathways. These changes promoted oxidative phosphorylation and overall cellular function during reperfusion.<br>
Conclusions: Our findings reveal that H2 therapy supports mitochondrial function, suppresses ROS, and modulates hypoxia-driven pathways in I/R injury. These insights advance the understanding of H2's potential in addressing I/R injury and provide a foundation for its application in other hypoxia-related conditions.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2399-3669812025Synthesis of thienoacenes by electrochemical double C–S cyclization using a halogen mediator366ENKoichiMitsudoDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTakuyaNagaharaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNozomiKatauraDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYukaOkamuraDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTokiYonezawaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYuriTachibanaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNolanSouliéFaculty of Science and Engineering, Sorbonne UniversitéKeisukeShigemoriDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityEisukeSatoDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHirokiMandaiDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gifu University of Medical ScienceSeijiSugaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityThienoacenes are significant compounds as organic materials. One of the most efficient ways to synthesize thienoacenes is to form multiple C–S bonds in a single step. Because unprotected S–H bonds are easily oxidized to S–S bonds, S-Me protected substrates are commonly used for the purpose. However, their reactivity is insufficient, and one-step construction of multiple C–S bonds is still challenging. We herein report the electrochemical synthesis of thienoacenes from S-methoxymethyl (MOM)-protected diarylacetylenes. In the presence of Bu4NBr as a halogen mediator, electrochemical double C–S cyclization of diarylacetylenes bearing two MOM groups proceeded to afford [1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (BTBT) derivatives. While S-Me or S-p-methoxybenzyl (PMB)-protected diarylacetylenes did not afford BTBT, BTBT was selectively obtained when a substrate protected with S-MOM groups was used. The S-MOM protection strategy is also effective for the electrochemical synthesis of a more π-expanded thienoacene such as dibenzo[d,d′]thieno[3,2-b,4,5-b′]dithiophene (DBTDT).No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Microbiology SocietyActa Medica Okayama0022-131710672025Virus taxonomy proposal summaries: a searchable and citable resource to disseminate virus taxonomy advances002079ENRichardMayneNuffield Department of Medicine, University of OxfordPeterSimmondsNuffield Department of Medicine, University of OxfordDonald B.SmithNuffield Department of Medicine, University of OxfordEvelien M.AdriaenssensQuadram Institute BioscienceElliot J.LefkowitzDepartment of Microbiology, University of Alabama at BirminghamHanna M.OksanenMolecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of HelsinkiFrancisco MuriloZerbiniDepartamento de Fitopatologia/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de ViçosaPolianeAlfenas-ZerbiniDepartamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de ViçosaFrank OAylwardDepartment of Biological Sciences, Virginia TechJulianaFreitas-AstúaEmbrapa Cassava and Fruits, Cruz das AlmasR. CurtisHendricksonDepartment of Microbiology, University of Alabama at BirminghamHolly R.HughesCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMartKrupovicInstitut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology UnitJens H.KuhnIntegrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthMałgorzataŁobockaInstitute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of SciencesArcady R.MushegianDivision of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, National Science FoundationJuditPenzesInstitute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers UniversityAlejandro ReyesMuñozDepartamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los AndesDavid L.RobertsonMRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchSimonRouxDepartment of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryLuisaRubinoConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Sede Secondaria di BariSeadSabanadzovicDepartment of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection, Mississippi State UniversityNobuhiroSuzukiInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityDannTurnerMolecular Biology, University of the West of EnglandKoenraadVan DoorslaerDepartment of Immunobiology, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona Cancer CenterArvindVarsaniThe Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State UniversityTaxonomic classification of cellular organisms requires the publication of descriptions and proposed names of species and the deposition of specimens. Virus taxonomy is developed through a different system of annual submission of formal taxonomy proposals (TPs) that can be submitted by anyone but are typically prepared by a study group appointed by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) and consisting of experts on a particular group of viruses. These are initially evaluated by an expert subcommittee and by the executive committee (EC) of the ICTV. EC-approved TPs are then submitted for evaluation and a ratification vote by the wider ICTV membership. Following ratification, the new taxonomy is annually updated in the Master Species List, associated databases and bioinformatic resources. The process is consistent, creates traceability in assignments and supports a fully evaluated, hierarchical classification and nomenclature of all taxonomic ranks from species to realms. The structure also facilitates large-scale and coordinated changes to virus taxonomy, such as the recent introduction of a binomial species nomenclature.<br>
TPs are available on the ICTV website after ratification, but they are not indexed in bibliographic databases and are not easily cited. Authors of TPs do not receive citation credit for adopted proposals, and their voluntary contributions are largely invisible in the published literature. For greater visibility of TPs and their authors, the ICTV will commence the annual publication of summaries of all TPs from each ICTV subcommittee. These summaries will provide a searchable compendium of all annual taxonomy changes and additions as well as direct links to the Master Species List and other ICTV bioinformatic resources. Their publication will provide due credit and citations for their authors, form the basis for disseminating taxonomy decisions and promote greater visibility and accessibility to taxonomy changes for the virology community.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2051-59601312025Rotenone targets midbrain astrocytes to produce glial dysfunction-mediated dopaminergic neurodegeneration234ENIkukoMiyazakiDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesNamiIsookaDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesRyoKikuokaDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesFuminoriImafukuDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKaoriMasaiDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKanaTomimotoDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasakiyoSakaguchiDepartment of Cell Biology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesChiharuSogawaDepartment of Food and Health Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Hiroshima Institute of TechnologyNorioSogawaDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshihisaKitamuraDepartment of Pharmacotherapy, School of Pharmacy, Shujitsu UniversityMasatoAsanumaDepartment of Medical Neurobiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesExposure to pesticides, such as rotenone or paraquat, is an environmental factor that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Rotenone induces PD-like pathology and is therefore used to develop parkinsonian animal models. Dopaminergic neurotoxicity caused by rotenone has been attributed to the inhibition of mitochondrial complex I, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation; however, the mechanisms underlying selective dopaminergic neurodegeneration by rotenone remain unclear. To resolve this, we focused on glial diversity and examined whether the brain region-specific glial response to rotenone could determine the vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons using primary cultured neurons, astrocytes and microglia from the midbrain and striatum of rat embryos and rotenone-injected PD model mice. Direct neuronal treatment with low-dose rotenone failed to damage dopaminergic neurons. Conversely, rotenone exposure in the presence of midbrain astrocyte and microglia or conditioned media from rotenone-treated midbrain glial cultures containing astrocytes and microglia produced dopaminergic neurotoxicity, but striatal glia did not. Surprisingly, conditioned media from rotenone-treated midbrain astrocytes or microglia monocultures did not affect neuronal survival. We also demonstrated that rotenone targeted midbrain astrocytes prior to microglia to induce dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Rotenone-treated astrocytes produced secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) extracellularly, which induced microglial proliferation, increase in IL-1β and TNF-α, and NF-κB (p65) nuclear translocation in microglia, resulting in dopaminergic neurodegeneration. In addition, rotenone exposure caused the secretion of NFAT-related inflammatory cytokines and a reduction in the level of an antioxidant metallothionein (MT)-1 from midbrain glia. Furthermore, we observed microglial proliferation and a decrease in the number of MT-positive astrocytes in the substantia nigra, but not the striatum, of low-dose rotenone-injected PD model mice. Our data highlight that rotenone targets midbrain astrocytes, leading to SPARC secretion, which promotes the neurotoxic conversion of microglia and leads to glial dysfunction-mediated dopaminergic neurodegeneration.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Public Library of Science (PLoS)Acta Medica Okayama1932-620320102025Relationship between obesity indices and cognitive function in Japanese men: A cross-sectional studye0332595ENSatoshiMatsunoDepartment of Psychiatry, Shiga University of Medical ScienceYujiOzekiDepartment of Psychiatry, Shiga University of Medical ScienceSayakaKadowakiNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceSayukiToriiNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKeikoKondoNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceNaokoMiyagawaDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University School of MedicineAzusaShimaDepartment of Clinical Nursing, Shiga University of Medical ScienceMizukiOhashiNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceItsukoMiyazawaDepartment of Medicine, Shiga University of Medical ScienceHiroyoshiSegawaNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesAyaKadotaNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKatsuyukiMiuraNCD Epidemiology Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceWe aimed to investigate the associations among various obesity indices, including visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and cognitive function in community-dwelling Japanese men. This population-based cross-sectional study used data of 853 men who participated in the follow-up examinations of the Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis. Among them, we analyzed data of 776 men who completed the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) and had abdominal VAT and SAT areas measured using computed tomography. The VAT-to-SAT ratio (VSR) was calculated; participants were categorized into VSR quartiles. Using analysis of covariance, we computed crude and adjusted means of the CASI total and domain scores across VSR quartiles, adjusting for potential confounders. No significant differences were observed in total CASI scores among body mass index, VAT, or SAT quartiles. However, in the multivariable-adjusted model, participants in the lowest VSR quartile (Q1) had significantly lower CASI total scores than those in the third quartile (Q3) (Q1: 89.5, Q3: 90.9). Low VSR was independently associated with lower cognitive function in a community-based sample of middle-aged and older Japanese men. In summary, VSR may be associated with cognitive function in Japanese men, highlighting the importance of fat distribution in cognitive health and highlighting VSR as a useful indicator.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2041-17231612025A node-localized efflux transporter for loading iron to developing tissues in rice9916ENJingCheInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityShengHuangInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityYutingQuState Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of SciencesYumaYoshiokaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityChiyuriTomitaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakaakiMiyajiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityZhenyangLiuState Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of SciencesRenfangShenState Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of SciencesNaokiYamajiInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityJian FengMaInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityIron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth and development. It plays crucial roles in various organs and tissues of plants, but the molecular mechanisms governing its distribution to the above-ground parts after root uptake remain unclear. In this study, we identify OsIET1 (Oryza sativa Iron Efflux Transporter 1), a rice gene highly expressed in the nodes. OsIET1 encodes a plasma membrane-localized protein, which shows efflux transport activity for ferrous iron. It is predominantly expressed in the xylem regions of diffuse vascular bundles, and its expression is upregulated under high Fe conditions. Disruption of OsIET1 impairs Fe allocation, reducing Fe transport to developing tissues (young leaves and grains), while increasing accumulation in nodes and older leaves. This misdistribution causes chlorosis in young leaves and decreases grain yield, especially under Fe-deficient conditions. Furthermore, we detect excessive Fe deposition around the xylem of diffuse vascular bundles in the nodes. Given the pivotal role of nodes in mineral distribution, our results indicate that OsIET1 mediates inter-vascular Fe transfer by facilitating Fe loading into the xylem of diffuse vascular bundles. This process ensures preferential Fe delivery to developing tissues, thereby promoting optimal plant growth and productivity.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-734561682025Revisiting 3-azidoindoles: overcoming the trade-off challenges between stability and reactivity of in situ-generated azidoindoles1280112804ENShotaAsaiSchool of Pharmacy, Shujitsu UniversityKeisukeTokushigeGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakumiAbeGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityA concise protocol based on the E2 reaction of indoline hemiaminals for accessing 3-azidoindoles is reported. In contrast to previous methods that require in situ generation by hypervalent iodine reagents, our protocol allows for the isolation of a variety of 3-azidoindoles upon a mild reaction for a short reaction time at room temperature. The obtained 3-azidoindoles are reasonably reactive, bench-stable and easy to handle. These findings could be used as a starting point for various reactions, including Huisgen reaction, [3+2] cycloaddition, phosphoramidation, and cine-substitution with the release of N2.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2077-038314172025Potential of Kidney Exchange Programs (KEPs) in Japan for Donor-Specific Antibody-Positive Kidney Transplants: A Questionnaire Survey on KEPs and a Multi-Institutional Study Conducting Virtual Cross-Matching Simulations6122ENTaiheiItoDepartment of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health UniversityMikiItoDepartment of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health UniversityNaohiroAidaDepartment of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health UniversityKeiKuriharaDepartment of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health UniversityAkihiroTeraoDepartment of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health UniversityYoshihikoWataraiDepartment of Transplant Surgery, Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center Nagoya Daini HospitalMitsuruSaitoDivision of Blood Purification, Akita University HospitalKeizoKakuDepartment of Surgery and Oncology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu UniversityDaisukeIshiiDepartment of Urology, Kitasato University of MedicineSatoshiSekiguchiTransplantation Surgery, Japan Community Healthcare Organization Sendai HospitalTatsuoYonedaUnit of Dialysis, Department of Urology, Nara Medical UniversityKoheiUnagamiOrgan Transplant Medicine, Tokyo Women’s Medical UniversityMasayukiTasakiDivision of Urology, Department of Regenerative & Transplant Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata UniversityHitoshiIwamotoDepartment of Kidney Transplantation Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical CenterMotooArakiDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazuhiroTakahashiDepartment of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, University of TsukubaKazuakiYamanakaDepartment of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of MedicineMikioSugimotoDepartment of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Adrenal Surgery and Renal Transplantation, Kagawa UniversityKouheiNishikawaDepartment of Nephro-Urologic Surgery and Andrology, Mie University Graduate School of MedicineChikashiSetoDepartment of Urology, Toyama Prefectural Central HospitalMasakiMuramatsuDepartment of Nephrology, Toho University Faculty of MedicineToshihiroAsaiDepartment of Kidney Transplant and Dialysis, Osaka City General HospitalDaikiIwamiDivision of Renal Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Urology, Jichi Medical UniversityYasutoshiYamadaDepartment of Blood Purification, Kagoshima University HospitalShigeyoshiYamanagaDepartment of Transplant Surgery, Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto HospitalTomonoriKomatsuDepartment of Urology, Chukyo Hospital, Japan Community Healthcare OrganizationMasayoshiMiuraDepartment of Renal Transplantation Surgery and Urology, Sapporo Hokuyu HospitalTakahiroNoharaDepartment of Urology, Kanazawa University HospitalMichihiroMaruyamaDepartment of Frontier Surgery, Chiba University School of MedicineYukiMiyauchiDepartment of Urology, Ehime UniversityToshiakiTanakaDepartment of Urology, Sapporo Medical UniversityMichioNakamuraDepartment of Transplant Surgery, Tokai University School of MedicineKiyohikoHottaDepartment of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido UniversityTakashiKenmochiDepartment of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Fujita Health UniversityObjectives: To clarify the need for a kidney exchange program (KEP) in Japan by conducting a questionnaire survey on KEPs and simulated KEPs by virtual cross-matching based on past cases of transplantation avoidance. Methods: In addition to the content regarding KEPs, an electronic survey was conducted to investigate the number of cases of kidney transplant abandonment due to “immunological” reasons over the past 10 years (2012–2021). Virtual cross-matching was conducted to simulate the feasibility of avoiding immunological risks and enabling kidney transplantation in patients who were previously unable to undergo the procedure. Results: The survey received responses from 107 facilities (response rate: 81.7%). In response to the question about the necessity of a KEP in Japan, 71 facilities (66.4%) indicated that KEPs are necessary. In addition, 251 living-donor kidney transplants were abandoned for “immunological” reasons over the past decade (2012–2021). Among the 80 pairs for which detailed information was available, virtual cross-matching simulations showed that 37/80 pairs (46.3%) were donor-specific antibody (DSA)-negative for blood type-matched combinations, and 41/80 pairs (51.3%) were DSA-negative for blood type-incompatible transplants. Conclusions: The need for a KEP in Japan and its potential usefulness were demonstrated.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-734561892025The direct photochemical cross-esterification of alcohols via site-selective C–H bromination site-selective C–H bromination1736417367ENAtsuyaMiyamotoGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHiroyoshiTakamuraGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityIsaoKadotaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKentaTanakaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityWe have developed a direct photochemical cross-esterification of alcohols that proceeds via the in situ generation of acyl bromides. The C–H bond of a benzyl alcohol is selectively activated by a bromo source under light irradiation, enabling the cross-esterification to afford a variety of functionalized esters.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama2352-4928502026Effects of grain size and crystal orientation on tensile properties of pure titanium thin wires114240ENJunjiSakamotoFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNaoyaTadaFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTakeshiUemoriFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTo clarify the effects of the grain size and crystal orientation on the tensile properties of pure titanium thin wires, tensile and stepwise tensile tests were conducted on pure titanium wires with diameters of approximately 180 μm and different average grain sizes (52, 37, 23, and 3.8 μm). When the grain size was large, the fracture strain was significantly smaller, the variation in tensile strength was larger, and the grain size threshold for such properties was a grain-size ratio to wire diameter of 0.13 or greater. For larger grain sizes, the slip system with the highest modified Schmid factor (MSF), which is the Schmid factor divided by the critical resolved shear stress of each slip system, was activated in all 15 grains whereas for smaller grain sizes, the percentage of slip systems activated with the highest MSF was slightly lower. In addition, the fracture location in a thin wire with larger grain sizes was highly correlated with the average MSF of the grains in the cross-section.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2168-81841792025Incidence and Factors Influencing Locomotive Syndrome in Cancer Patients Living in the Communitye91856ENYoshiteruAkezakiDivision of Physical Therapy, Kochi Professional University of RehabilitationEijiNakataDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalMasatoKikuuchiDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer CenterYoshimiKatayamaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Okayama University HospitalShinsukeSugiharaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer CenterBackground Investigating locomotive syndrome (LS) of cancer survivors in the community will help clarify the importance of rehabilitation for cancer survivors in the community and provide a basis for exploring effective interventions. The primary purpose of this study was to conduct a comparison of LS, fatigue, psychological problems, and physical activity in cancer survivors and those without cancer in the community. The secondary purpose was to analyze factors influencing LS in cancer patients.<br>
Methods The study involved 59 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at home and 59 people without cancer. The cancer patients were those undergoing chemotherapy as outpatients and constituted the cancer group. The non-cancer people were living in the community and constituted the non-cancer group.<br>
Cancer and non-cancer groups were surveyed and measured for LS, fatigue, psychological problems, and physical activity. The cancer group was also surveyed for the duration of chemotherapy treatment and the presence or absence of bone metastases.<br>
Results The cancer group was significantly more likely than the non-cancer group to have LS stage 2, to have fatigue, and to have psychological problems. Fatigue and psychological problems were significantly associated with LS stage 2.<br>
Conclusions Cancer patients in the community need to be assessed regularly by healthcare providers and interventions should be made according to their condition.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama1439-01082025Coupling effects of biochar and sediment microbial fuel cells on CH4 and CO2 emissions from straw-amended paddy soilENAdhena TesfauBekeleGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMorihiroMaedaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNozomiNakaharaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityAyumiHashiguchiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHiroakiSomuraGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySatoshiAkaoFaculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha UniversityChiyuNakanoDepartment of Comprehensive Technical Solutions, Okayama UniversityYutaNishinaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityPurpose The independent incorporation of biochar and sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) into paddy soil has been shown to reduce methane (CH4) emissions. However, the application of rice straw into paddy soil enhances the availability of labile carbon that stimulates methanogen growth, counteracting the mitigation effects of both methods. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the effect of coupling biochar and SMFC on CH4 and CO2 emissions from straw-amended paddy soil.<br>
Materials and methods Single chamber SMFC setups constructed using acrylic columns (height, 25 cm; inner diameter, 9 cm) with six treatments were established using soil amended with 0% (0BC), 1% (1BC), and 2% (2BC) biochar: with and without SMFC conditions. Stainless steel mesh (15 × 3 cm) and graphite felt (6 × 5 cm) were used as anode and cathode materials, respectively.<br>
Results Cumulative emission of CH4 in the 0BC treatment with SMFC was 39% less than in that without SMFC. Biochar addition and SMFC operation together further reduced CH4 emission by 57% and 60% in 1BC and 2BC treatments, respectively, compared to that in the 0BC treatment without SMFC operation. The relative abundance of microbial communities indicated methane-oxidizing bacteria were enriched in the presence of biochar and hydrogenotrophic Methanoregula were suppressed by SMFC operation. This suggested that SMFC mainly inhibited CH4 production by outcompeting hydrogenotrophic archaea.<br>
Conclusion The use of biochar made from leftover rice straw has an interactive effect on SMFC operation and both methods can be used to reduce CH4 emission from straw-amended paddy soil.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2168-81841782025Subacute Progression of Gait Disturbance and Consciousness Impairment Due to Communicating Hydrocephalus Associated With Vestibular Schwannomae89880ENSatokaYanoDepartment of Neurology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineAkatsukiKubotaDepartment of Neurology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineMizuhoKawaiDepartment of Neurology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineDaikiYashitaDepartment of Neurology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineHiroyukiIshiuraDepartment of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesWataruSatakeDepartment of Neurology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineKaoruYamadaDepartment of Neuropathology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineYukiShinyaDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineSatoruMiyawakiDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineTakeshiIwatsuboDepartment of Neuropathology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicineTatsushiTodaDepartment of Neurology, The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of MedicinePatients with vestibular schwannomas (VSs) present with vestibulocochlear nerve dysfunction such as vertigo and tinnitus. VSs occasionally develop communicating hydrocephalus as a complication, which is typically characterized by an insidious progression of symptoms. We report a case of an 84-year-old female patient with a VS who developed gait disturbance and consciousness impairment over a three-week period, ultimately resulting in an inability to walk and communicate. A thorough evaluation ruled out encephalitis and other differential diagnoses. Imaging studies demonstrated findings consistent with communicating hydrocephalus, and a tap test temporarily improved her consciousness disturbances. The patient underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), after which both consciousness and gait disturbances dramatically improved 10 days postoperatively. The subacute development of symptoms due to normal pressure hydrocephalus associated with VSs is rare. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of severe gait impairment and disturbance of consciousness progressing within a short period. This case highlights the importance of considering communicating hydrocephalus associated with VSs as a differential diagnosis, even in cases of subacute consciousness disturbance. We also discuss the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus in relation to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) clearance into the extracranial space. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Nature SingaporeActa Medica Okayama1865-09292025Evaluation of a Startup Program Identification for Efficient and Accurate IoT Security Investigations417431ENYutaShimamotoGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityJiratchayaPhinyodomSchool of Engineering, Okayama UniversityRyotaYoshimotoGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHiroyukiUekawaNTT Social Informatics LaboratoriesMitsuakiAkiyamaNTT Social Informatics LaboratoriesToshihiroYamauchiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNot all file in firmware are executed while using Internet of Things (IoT) devices and hundreds to approximately a thousand executable and linkable format files exist in one firmware. Therefore, security investigations without prioritization may lead to investigate programs that are not executed while using IoT devices first. This has resulted in inefficient security investigations. To perform efficient security investigations, we proposed a method that can identify programs executed during the startup process. However, only two firmware were used for the evaluation which can only evaluate one of the two startup sequences in the OpenWrt-based firmware. In addition, security investigations to validate whether the proposed method addresses the problem of inefficient security investigations were limited to OpenWrt-based firmware. In this study, we use more firmware data for evaluation and validation. We use nine firmware not used in previous studies including startup methods that have not previously been used for evaluation. In addition, we increase the number of firmware used for validation to 225. The evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed method can identify with only few false positives. The validation demonstrates that efficiency can be improved and prioritizing investigations by considering the proposed method result is worthwhile.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Japanese Society for Plant Cell and Molecular BiologyActa Medica Okayama1342-45804232025Root-exuded sugars as drivers of rhizosphere microbiome assembly215227ENNiarsi MerryHemeldaDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of IndonesiaYoshiteruNoutoshiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySugars in root exudates play a pivotal role in shaping plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere, serving as carbon sources and signaling molecules that orchestrate microbial behavior, community structure, and plant resilience. Recent research has shed light on the dynamics of sugar levels in root exudates, the factors that influence their secretion, and the mechanisms by which these sugars drive microbial colonization and community assembly in the rhizosphere. Microbial communities, in turn, contribute to plant physiological changes that enhance growth and stress tolerance. While well-studied sugars such as glucose, sucrose, and fructose are known to promote chemotaxis, motility, and biofilm formation, emerging evidence suggests that less-studied sugars like arabinose and trehalose may also play significant roles in microbial interactions and stress resilience. Key challenges remain, including the accurate measurement of labile sugars that are rapidly metabolized by microbes, and the elucidation of genetic mechanisms underlying rhizosphere metabolic interactions in both host plants and microbes. Addressing these challenges will advance our understanding of sugar-mediated interactions and inform the development of sustainable agricultural innovations.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7952025Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Patterns Identified by Unsupervised Machine Learning and Their Associations with Subclinical Cerebral and Renal Damage in a Japanese Community: The Masuda Study369379ENTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMinakoKinutaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSosukeMunetomoDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMariFukudaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKatsuhideKojimaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama University HospitalKaoriTaniguchiDepartment of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Izumo, Shimane University Faculty of MedicineNorikoNakahataDepartment of Health and Nutrition, The University of Shimane Faculty of Nursing and NutritionHideyukiKandaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/69438We applied unsupervised machine learning to analyze blood pressure (BP) and resting heart rate (HR) patterns measured during a 1-year period to assess their cross-sectional relationships with subclinical cerebral and renal target damage. Dimension reduction via uniform manifold approximation and projection, followed by K-means++ clustering, was used to categorize 362 community-dwelling participants (mean age, 56.2 years; 54.9% women) into three groups: Low BP and Low HR (Lo-BP/Lo-HR), High BP and High HR (Hi-BP/Hi-HR), and Low BP and High HR (Lo-BP/Hi-HR). Cerebral vessel lesions were defined as the presence of at least one of the following magnetic resonance imaging findings: lacunar infarcts, white matter hyperintensities, cerebral microbleeds, or intracranial artery stenosis. A high urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was defined as the top 10% (≥ 12 mg/g) of the mean value from ≥2 measurements. Poisson regression with robust error variance, adjusted for demographics, lifestyle, and medical history, showed that the Hi-BP/Hi-HR group had relative risks of 3.62 (95% confidence interval, 1.75-7.46) for cerebral vessel lesions and 3.58 (1.33-9.67) for high UACR, and the Lo-BP/Hi-HR group had a relative risk of 3.09 (1.12-8.57) for high UACR, compared with the Lo-BP/Lo-HR group. These findings demonstrate the utility of an unsupervised, data-driven approach for identifying physiological patterns associated with subclinical target organ damage.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7952025Current Status of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Treatment Strategy for Primary Graft Dysfunction after Lung Transplantation329337ENKeiMatsubaraDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens HospitalKentarohMiyoshiDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShinichiToyookaDepartment of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesReview10.18926/AMO/69433Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is one of the major risk factors affecting patients’ short- and long-term survival after lung transplantation. No particular management strategy has been established for PGD; supportive care is the mainstay of PGD treatment. When a supportive strategy fails, the patient may require the introduction of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as the last-resort measure for severe PGD. A variety of study of ECMO as a PGD treatment was reported and the management of PGD patients developed so far. Early recognition of a patient’s need for ECMO and its prompt initiation are critical to improved outcomes. The use of venovenous-ECMO became the preferred procedure for PGD rather than venoarterial-ECMO. However, the current ECMO strategy has limitations, and using ECMO to manage patients with PGD is not sufficiently effective. Further studies are required to develop this promising technology.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)Acta Medica Okayama1932-45372252025Topology-Driven Configuration of Emulation Networks With Deterministic Templating39333946ENSatoruKobayashiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityRyuseiShiibaDepartment of Informatics, School of Multidisciplinary Sciences, The Graduate University of Advanced Studies, SokendaiShinsukeMiwaStarBED Technology Center, Testbed Research, Development and Operations Laboratory, National Institute of Information and Communications TechnologyToshiyukiMiyachiStrategic Planning Department, Strategic Planning Office, National Institute of Information and Communications TechnologyKensukeFukudaDepartment of Informatics, School of Multidisciplinary Sciences, The Graduate University of Advanced Studies, SokendaiNetwork emulation is an important component of a digital twin for verifying network behavior without impacting on the service systems. Although we need to repeatedly change network topologies and configuration settings as a part of trial and error for verification, it is not easy to reflect the change without failures because the change affects multiple devices, even if it is as simple as adding a device. We present topology-driven configuration, an idea to separate network topology and generalized configuration to make it easy to change them. Based on this idea, we aim to realize a scalable, simple, and effective configuration platform for emulation networks. We design a configuration generation method using simple and deterministic config templates with a new network parameter data model, and implement it as dot2net. We evaluate three perspectives, scalability, simplicity, and efficacy, of the proposed method using dot2net through measurement and user experiments on existing test network scenarios.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2078-24891612025Relay Node Selection Methods for UAV Navigation Route Constructions in Wireless Multi-Hop Network Using Smart Meter Devices22ENShutoOhkawaGraduate School of Engineering, Nihon UniversityKiyoshiUedaGraduate School of Engineering, Nihon UniversityTakumiMiyoshiCollege of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of TechnologyTakuYamazakiCollege of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of TechnologyRyoYamamotoGraduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-CommunicationsNobuoFunabikiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityUnmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer solutions to issues like traffic congestion and labor shortages. We developed a distributed UAV management system inspired by virtual circuit and datagram methods in packet-switching networks. By installing houses with wireless terminals, UAVs navigate routes in a multi-hop network, communicating with ground nodes. UAVs are treated as network packets, ground devices are treated as routers, and their connections are treated as links. Activating all nodes as relays increases control message traffic and node load. To optimize connectivity, we minimize relay nodes, connecting non-relay nodes to the nearest relay. This study proposes four relay node selection methods: random selection, two adjacency-based methods, and our innovative approach using Multipoint Relay (MPR) from the Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR). We evaluated these methods according to their route construction success rates, relay node counts, route lengths, and so on. The MPR-based method proved most effective for UAV route construction. However, fewer relay nodes increase link collisions, and we identify the minimum relay density needed to balance efficiency and conflict reduction.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2073-431X14102025A Guided Self-Study Platform of Integrating Documentation, Code, Visual Output, and Exercise for Flutter Cross-Platform Mobile Programming417ENSafira AdineKinariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversitySoe ThandarAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo Htoo SandiKyawDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNowadays, Flutter with the Dart programming language has become widely popular in mobile developments, allowing developers to build multi-platform applications using one codebase. An increasing number of companies are adopting these technologies to create scalable and maintainable mobile applications. Despite this increasing relevance, university curricula often lack structured resources for Flutter/Dart, limiting opportunities for students to learn it in academic environments. To address this gap, we previously developed the Flutter Programming Learning Assistance System (FPLAS), which supports self-learning through interactive problems focused on code comprehension through code-based exercises and visual interfaces. However, it was observed that many students completed the exercises without fully understanding even basic concepts, if they already had some knowledge of object-oriented programming (OOP). As a result, they may not be able to design and implement Flutter/Dart codes independently, highlighting a mismatch between the system’s outcomes and intended learning goals. In this paper, we propose a guided self-study approach of integrating documentation, code, visual output, and exercise in FPLAS. Two existing problem types, namely, Grammar Understanding Problems (GUP) and Element Fill-in-Blank Problems (EFP), are combined together with documentation, code, and output into a new format called Integrated Introductory Problems (INTs). For evaluations, we generated 16 INT instances and conducted two rounds of evaluations. The first round with 23 master students in Okayama University, Japan, showed high correct answer rates but low usability ratings. After revising the documentation and the system design, the second round with 25 fourth-year undergraduate students in the same university demonstrated high usability and consistent performances, which confirms the effectiveness of the proposal.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2078-24891682025A Phrase Fill-in-Blank Problem in a Client-Side Web Programming Assistant System709ENHuiyuQiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityZhikangLiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo HtooSandi KyawDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityWen ChungKaoDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan Normal UniversityMastering client-side Web programming is essential for the development of responsive and interactive Web applications. To support novice students’ self-study, in this paper, we propose a novel exercise format called the phrase fill-in-blank problem (PFP) in the Web Programming Learning Assistant System (WPLAS). A PFP instance presents a source code with blanked phrases (a set of elements) and corresponding Web page screenshots. Then, it requests the user to fill in the blanks, and the answers are automatically evaluated through string matching with predefined correct answers. By increasing blanks, PFP can come close to writing a code from scratch. To facilitate scalable and context-aware question creation, we implemented the PFP instance generation algorithm in Python using regular expressions. This approach targets meaningful code segments in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that reflect the interactive behavior of front-end development. For evaluations, we generated 10 PFP instances for basic Web programming topics and 5 instances for video games and assigned them to students at Okayama University, Japan, and the State Polytechnic of Malang, Indonesia. Their solution results show that most students could solve them correctly, indicating the effectiveness and accessibility of the generated instances. In addition, we investigated the ability of generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, to solve the PFP instances. The results show 86.7% accuracy for basic-topic PFP instances. Although it still cannot fully find answers, we must monitor progress carefully. In future work, we will enhance PFP in WPLAS to handle non-unique answers by improving answer validation for flexible recognition of equivalent responses.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2078-24891672025A Fundamental Statistics Self-Learning Method with Python Programming for Data Science Implementations607ENPrismahardi AjiRiyantokoDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKomang CandraBrataDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityMustikaMentariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityAviolla TerzaDamalianaDepartment of Data Science, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa TimurDwi ArmanPrasetyaDepartment of Data Science, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa TimurThe increasing demand for data-driven decision making to maintain the innovations and competitiveness of organizations highlights the need for data science educations across academia and industry. At its core is a solid understanding of statistics, which is necessary for conducting a thorough analysis of data and deriving valuable insights. Unfortunately, conventional statistics learning often lacks practice in real-world applications using computer programs, causing a separation between conceptual knowledge of statistics equations and their hands-on skills. Integrating statistics learning into Python programming can convey an effective solution for this problem, where it has become essential in data science implementations, with extensive and versatile libraries. In this paper, we present a self-learning method for fundamental statistics through Python programming for data science studies. Unlike conventional approaches, our method integrates three types of interactive problems―element fill-in-blank problem (EFP), grammar-concept understanding problem (GUP), and value trace problem (VTP)―in the Programming Learning Assistant System (PLAS). This combination allows students to write code, understand concepts, and trace the output value while obtaining instant feedback so that they can improve retention, knowledge, and practical skills in learning statistics using Python programming. For evaluations, we generated 22 instances using source codes for fundamental statistics topics, and assigned them to 40 first-year undergraduate students at UPN Veteran Jawa Timur, Indonesia. Statistics analytical methods were utilized to analyze the student learning performances. The results show that a significant correlation (𝜌<0.05) exists between the students who solved our proposal and those who did not. The results confirm that it can effectively assist students in learning fundamental statistics self-learning using Python programming for data science implementations.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2079-929214112025An Automatic Code Generation Tool Using Generative Artificial Intelligence for Element Fill-in-the-Blank Problems in a Java Programming Learning Assistant System2261ENZihaoZhuDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityMustikaMentariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversitySoe ThandarAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityWen-ChungKaoDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan Normal UniversityYi-FangLeeDepartment of Industrial Education, National Taiwan Normal UniversityPresently, Java is a fundamental object-oriented programming language that can be mastered by any student in information technology or computer science. To assist both teachers and students, we developed the Java Programming Learning Assistant System (JPLAS). It offers several types of practice problems with different levels and learning goals for step-by-step self-study, where any answer is automatically marked in the system. One challenge for teachers that is addressed with JPLAS is the generation of proper exercise problems that meet learning requirements. We implemented programs for generating new problems from given source codes, as collecting and evaluating suitable codes remains time-consuming. In this paper, we present an automatic code generation tool using generative AI to solve this challenge. Prompt engineering is used to help generate an appropriate source code, and the quality is controlled by optimizing the prompt based on the outputs. For applications in JPLAS, we implement a web application system to automatically generate an element fill-in-the-blank problem (EFP) in JPLAS. For evaluation, we select the element fill-in-the-blank problem (EFP) as the target type in JPLAS and generate several instances using this tool. The results confirm the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1999-59031782025A Verilog Programming Learning Assistant System Focused on Basic Verilog with a Guided Learning Method333ENPin-ChiehHsiehDepartment of Electronic Engineering, National Taipei University of TechnologyTzu-LunFangDepartment of Electronic Engineering, National Taipei University of TechnologyShaoboJinDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityYuyanWangDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityYu-ChengFanDepartment of Electronic Engineering, National Taipei University of TechnologyWith continuous advancements in semiconductor technology, mastering efficient designs of high-quality and advanced chips has become an important part of science and technology education. Chip performances will determine the futures of various aspects of societies. However, novice students often encounter difficulties in learning digital chip designs using Verilog programming, a common hardware design language. An efficient self-study system for supporting them that can offer various exercise problems, such that any answer is marked automatically, is in strong demand. In this paper, we design and implement a web-based Verilog programming learning assistant system (VPLAS), based on our previous works on software programming. Using a heuristic and guided learning method, VPLAS leads students to learn the basic circuit syntax step by step, until they acquire high-quality digital integrated circuit design abilities through self-study. For evaluation, we assign the proposal to 50 undergraduate students at the National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan, who are taking the introductory chip-design course, and confirm that their learning outcomes using VPLAS together are far better than those obtained when following a traditional method. In our final statistics, students achieved an average initial accuracy rate of over 70% on their first attempts at answering questions after learning through our website’s tutorials. With the help of the system’s instant automated grading and rapid feedback, their average accuracy rate eventually exceeded 99%. This clearly demonstrates thaNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1999-59031752025An Improved Reference Paper Collection System Using Web Scraping with Three Enhancements195ENTresna MaulanaFahrudinDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKomang CandraBrataDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityInzaliNaingDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversitySoe ThandarAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityAmriMuhaiminDepartment of Data Science, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa TimurDwi ArmanPrasetyaDepartment of Data Science, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa TimurNowadays, accessibility to academic papers has been significantly improved with electric publications on the internet, where open access has become common. At the same time, it has increased workloads in literature surveys for researchers who usually manually download PDF files and check their contents. To solve this drawback, we have proposed a reference paper collection system using a web scraping technology and natural language models. However, our previous system often finds a limited number of relevant reference papers after taking long time, since it relies on one paper search website and runs on a single thread at a multi-core CPU. In this paper, we present an improved reference paper collection system with three enhancements to solve them: (1) integrating the APIs from multiple paper search web sites, namely, the bulk search endpoint in the Semantic Scholar API, the article search endpoint in the DOAJ API, and the search and fetch endpoint in the PubMed API to retrieve article metadata, (2) running the program on multiple threads for multi-core CPU, and (3) implementing Dynamic URL Redirection, Regex-based URL Parsing, and HTML Scraping with URL Extraction for fast checking of PDF file accessibility, along with sentence embedding to assess relevance based on semantic similarity. For evaluations, we compare the number of obtained reference papers and the response time between the proposal, our previous work, and common literature search tools in five reference paper queries. The results show that the proposal increases the number of relevant reference papers by 64.38% and reduces the time by 59.78% on average compared to our previous work, while outperforming common literature search tools in reference papers. Thus, the effectiveness of the proposed system has been demonstrated in our experiments.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama2577-44411332025Adaptive strategies and community engagement for sustainable conservation and tourism in Komodo National Park, Indonesia335349ENImelda Masni JuniatySianiparDepartment of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Kristen IndonesiaChun-HungLeeCenter for Environmental Solution (CVISION), Universitas PertaminaDoo-ChulKimFaculty of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityI Wayan KokoSuryawanDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Infrastructure Planning, Universitas PertaminaThe sustainability of Komodo protection efforts is closely linked to tourism development. To achieve this, it is important to have a deep understanding of local community behaviors and adaptation strategies. This study focuses on the complex relationships between sociodemographic factors, attitudes towards forest conservation, participation in adaptive management programs, and willingness of local communities in the Komodo district to engage in sustainable tourism practices. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we analyze the connections that either support or hinder the conservation of Komodo habitats while promoting responsible tourism growth. The results show that sociodemographic characteristics have a significant impact on conservation attitudes, leading to increased participation in adaptive programs that are crucial for sustainable tourism. Additionally, the willingness to adapt is a key factor that influences the level of community involvement in sustainable tourism initiatives. This study emphasizes the importance of developing behavioral and adaptive forest protection programs that cater to both Komodo conservation and the sustainable growth of tourism. Policy recommendations focus on community-centered conservation strategies, education on sustainable practices, and the implementation of adaptive management to ensure the long-term viability of Komodo habitats. Overall, this research provides a nuanced understanding of conservation behavior in regions with rich biodiversity. It highlights the pivotal role of community engagement and adaptive strategies in achieving sustainable tourism and conservation goals.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2041-17231612025Persistent homology elucidates hierarchical structures responsible for mechanical properties in covalent amorphous solids8226ENEmiMinamitaniSANKEN, The University of OsakaTakenobuNakamuraDepartment of Materials and Chemistry Materials DX Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)IppeiObayashiCenter for Artificial Intelligence and Mathematical Data Science, Okayama UniversityHideyukiMizunoGraduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of TokyoUnderstanding how atomic-level structures govern the mechanical properties of amorphous materials remains a fundamental challenge in solid-state physics. Under mechanical loading, amorphous materials exhibit simple affine and spatially inhomogeneous nonaffine displacements that contribute to the elastic modulus through the Born (affine) and nonaffine terms, respectively. The differences between soft local structures characterized by small Born terms or large nonaffine displacements have yet to be elucidated. This challenge is particularly complex in covalent amorphous materials such as silicon, where the medium-range order (MRO) plays a crucial role in the network structure. To address these issues, we combined molecular dynamics simulations with persistent homology analysis. Our results reveal that local structures with small Born terms are governed by short-range characteristics, whereas those with large nonaffine displacements exhibit hierarchical structures in which short-range disorder is embedded within the MRO. These hierarchical structures are also strongly correlated with low-energy localized vibrational excitations. Our findings demonstrate that the mechanical responses and dynamic properties of covalent amorphous materials are intrinsically linked to the MRO, providing a framework for understanding and tailoring their properties.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2041-17231612025Fully-gapped superconductivity with rotational symmetry breaking in pressurized kagome metal CsV3Sb53643ENX. Y.FengInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsZ.ZhaoInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsJ.LuoInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsY. Z.ZhouInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsJ.YangInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsA. F.FangH. T.YangInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsH.-J.GaoInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsR.ZhouInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and BeijingNational Laboratory for CondensedMatter PhysicsGuo-qingZhengDepartment of Physics, Okayama UniversityThe discovery of the kagome metal CsV3Sb5 has generated significant interest in its complex physical properties, particularly its superconducting behavior under different pressures, though its nature remains debated. Here, we performed low-temperature, high-pressure 121/123Sb nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements to explore the superconducting pairing symmetry in CsV3Sb5. At ambient pressure, we found that the spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 exhibits a kink at T ~ 0.4 Tc within the superconducting state and follows a T3 variation as temperature further decreases. This suggests the presence of two superconducting gaps with line nodes in the smaller one. As pressure increases beyond Pc ~ 1.85 GPa, where the charge-density wave phase is completely suppressed, 1/T1 shows no Hebel-Slichter peak just below Tc, and decreases rapidly, even faster than T5, indicating that the gap is fully opened for pressures above Pc. In this high pressure region, the angular dependence of the in-plane upper critical magnetic field Hc2 breaks the C6 rotational symmetry. We propose the s + id pairing at P > Pc which explains both the 1/T1 and Hc2 behaviors. Our findings indicate that CsV3Sb5 is an unconventional superconductor and its superconducting state is even more exotic at high pressures.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Oxford University Press (OUP)Acta Medica Okayama2730-6151512025Methanol chemoreceptor MtpA- and flagellin protein FliC-dependent methylotaxis contributes to the spatial colonization of PPFM in the phyllosphereycaf092ENShioriKatayamaGraduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto UniversityKosukeShiraishiGraduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto UniversityKanaeKajiGraduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto UniversityKazuyaKawabataGraduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto UniversityNaokiTamuraDepartment of Anatomy and Histology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical UniversityAkioTaniInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityHiroyaYurimotoGraduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto UniversityYasuyoshiSakaiGraduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto UniversityPink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFMs) capable of growth on methanol are dominant and versatile phyllosphere bacteria that provide positive effects on plant growth through symbiosis. However, the spatial behavior of PPFMs on plant surfaces and its molecular basis are unknown. Here, we show that Methylobacterium sp. strain OR01 inoculated onto red perilla seeds colonized across the entire plant surface in the phyllosphere concomitant with the plant growth. During its transmission, strain OR01 was found to be present on the entire leaf surface with a preference to sites around the periphery, vein, trichome, and stomata. We found that methanol-sensing chemoreceptor MtpA-dependent chemotaxis (methylotaxis; chemotaxis toward methanol) and flagellin protein FliC-dependent motility facilitated the bacterial entry into the stomatal cavity and their colonization in the phyllosphere.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama1936-52091932025Oregon Wolfe barley genetic stocks – Research and teaching tools for next generation scientistse70004ENMargaret R.KrauseDepartment of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State UniversityJuan DavidArbelaezDepartment of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignÅsmundAsdalNordic Genetic Resource CentreRamziBelkodjaCIHEAM-ZaragozaNancyBouryDepartment of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, Iowa State UniversityVictoria C.BlakeDepartment of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State UniversityPatrick J.BrownDepartment of Plant Sciences, University of California-DavisAnaCasasDepartamento de Genética y Producción Vegetal, Estación Experimental Aula Dei–CSICLuisCistuéDepartamento de Genética y Producción Vegetal, Estación Experimental Aula Dei–CSICAlbaFarré‐MartínezAGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, Universidad de LleidaScottFiskDepartment of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State UniversityGregory S.FuerstU.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Iowa State UniversityEstelaGiménezDepartment of Biotechnology-Plant Biology, School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de MadridCarlaGuijarro‐RealDepartment of Biotechnology-Plant Biology, School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de MadridKatyGuthrieDepartment of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of MinnesotaMargaretHalsteadAardevo North AmericaLauraHelgersonDepartment of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State UniversityHiroshiHisanoInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityErnestoIgartuaDepartamento de Genética y Producción Vegetal, Estación Experimental Aula Dei–CSICMortenLillemoDepartment of Plant Sciences, Norwegian University of Life SciencesMarinaMartínez‐GarcíaDepartment of Biotechnology-Plant Biology, School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de MadridMarionaMartínez‐SubiràAGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, Universidad de LleidaSusanMcCouchPlant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell UniversityLaurieMcGheeColfax-Mingo Community High SchoolTravisNickolsDepartment of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State UniversityNickPetersDepartment of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, Iowa State UniversityRaymondPorterHaupert Institute for Agricultural Studies, Huntington UniversityIgnacioRomagosaAGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, Universidad de LleidaAnja KarineRuudDepartment of Plant Sciences, Norwegian University of Life SciencesKazuhiroSatoInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversitySilvioSalviDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of BolognaGiuseppeSangiorgiDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of BolognaRebekkaSchüllerDepartment of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignTaner Z.SenCrop Improvement and Genetics Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research ServiceJosé MiguelSorianoAGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, Universidad de LleidaRobert M.StuparDepartment of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of MinnesotaTo‐ChiaTingAgronomy Department, Purdue UniversityKellyViningDepartment of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State UniversityMariavon KorffInstitute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität DüsseldorfAgathaWallaInstitute of Plant Genetics, Heinrich-Heine-Universität DüsseldorfDiane R.WangAgronomy Department, Purdue UniversityRobbieWaughDivision of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of DundeeRoger P.WiseDepartment of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, Iowa State UniversityRobertWolfeAgriculture and Agri-Food CanadaEricYaoCrop Improvement and Genetics Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research ServicePatrick M.HayesDepartment of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State UniversityThe Oregon Wolfe Barley (OWB) mapping population (Reg. no. MP-4, NSL 554937 MAP) is a resource for genetics research and instruction. The OWBs are a set of doubled haploid barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) lines developed at Oregon State University from the F1 of a cross between Dr. Robert Wolfe's dominant and recessive marker stocks. Exhibiting a high level of genetic and phenotypic diversity, the OWBs are used throughout the world as a research tool for barley genetics. To date, these endeavors have led to 56 peer-reviewed publications, as well as three reports in the Barley Genetics Newsletter. At the same time, the OWBs are widely used as an instructor resource at the K–12, undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. They are currently used at universities and/or institutes in German, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the United States and are currently being developed further for educational use in other countries. Genotype and phenotype data, lesson plans, and seed availability information are available herein and online.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2399-3669712024Post-spinel-type AB2O4 high-pressure phases in geochemistry and materials science189ENMasakiAkaogiDepartment of Chemistry, Gakushuin UniversityTakayukiIshiiInstitute for Planetary Materials, Okayama UniversityKazunariYamauraResearch Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials SciencePost-spinel-type AB2O4 compounds are stable at higher pressures than spinel phases. These compounds have garnered much interest in geo- and materials science for their geochemical importance as well as potential application as high ionic conductors and materials with strongly correlated electrons. Here, large-volume high-pressure syntheses, structural features and properties of post-spinels are reviewed. Prospects are discussed for future searches for post-spinel-type phases by applying advanced large-volume high-pressure technology.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2168-81841792025Impact of a Peer-Led International Training Program on Work Motivation Among Early-Career Psychiatrists: A Mixed-Methods Studye93012ENToshihiroShimizuDepartment of Psychiatry, Saitama Prefectural Psychiatric HospitalJunkoKitaokaDepartment of Psychiatry, Fukkoukai Tarumi HospitalKenSuzutaniDepartment of Psychiatry, Aizu Medical CenterYutoSatakeDepartment of Psychiatry, The University of OsakaMasahideKodaCo-learning Community Healthcare Re-innovation Office, Graduate School of Medicine, Okayama UniversityIzumiKuramochiDepartment of Epileptology and Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and PsychiatryNormanSartoriusPsychiatry, Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programs (AIMHP)Background<br>
The Japan Young Psychiatrists Organization (JYPO) has conducted a Course for Academic Development of Psychiatrists (CADP), a peer-led residential international training program, since 2002 to promote the professional development of early-career psychiatrists. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of CADP on participants' work motivation using a psychometric scale and to identify the factors contributing to these changes.<br>
Methods<br>
We conducted a mixed-method study with 23 Japanese participants of the 21st CADP from March 8 to 10, 2024, in Himeji, Japan. Work motivation was assessed using the abbreviated version of the Measure of Multifaceted Work Motivations (MWM-12) at two time points: two weeks before and three months after the course. The total and subitem scores of the MWM-12 were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Furthermore, free-text responses collected before and after the course were subjected to qualitative analyses.<br>
Results<br>
Significant improvements were observed in the MWM-12 total score from pre-course to post-course. Significant increases were also identified in specific sub-items: M1 (directionality of achievement-oriented motivation), M4 (directionality of competition-oriented motivation), M6 (sustainability of competition-oriented motivation), and M9 (sustainability of cooperation-oriented motivation). Qualitative analysis revealed changes in key categories, including growth as a psychiatrist, personal networking, personal growth, and increased motivation. The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings suggested that enhanced career perspectives (M1), professional growth and peer interaction (M4), and increased self-confidence and support networks (M6 and M9) contributed to improved motivation.<br>
Conclusion<br>
This study demonstrated that a three-day, two-night peer-led training program positively influenced work motivation among early-career psychiatrists.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.IOP PublishingActa Medica Okayama2399-6528862024Inert structural transition in 4H and 6H SiC at high pressure and temperature: a Raman spectroscopy study065001ENShuhouMaitaniDepartment of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji UniversityRyosukeSinmyoDepartment of Physics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji UniversityTakayukiIshiiInstitute for Planetary Materials, Okayama UniversityKenjiYozaBruker JapanWe conducted Raman spectroscopy measurements of 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC up to 69 GPa and 1023 K to assess the stability and bonding of SiC at high pressure and temperature. Both optic and acoustic modes were observed at wide pressure and temperature ranges. The temperature shifts of the Raman frequencies were fitted by the equation with the Bose–Einstein distribution function, and we found that the shifts were almost insensitive to the pressure. The mode Grüneisen coefficients weakly depend on the pressure and temperature, suggesting the sluggish transition of the crystal structure, unlike the previous experiments showing the transition or decomposition of SiC at high pressure and temperature conditions. Inert transitions are confirmed by Raman measurements and annealing experiments using multiple high-pressure apparatuses. The crystallinity may be a hidden critical parameter in the experiments to determine the stable polytypes of SiC under high pressure and temperature.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-73452025Generation of alkyl radicals via C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond cleavage of xanthene-based precursors for photocatalytic Giese-type reactionENShutaHoriuchiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMasatoOishiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityAsukaMizutaniGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHiroyoshiTakamuraGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityIsaoKadotaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKentaTanakaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityNovel xanthene-based alkyl radical precursors were developed and subjected to photocatalytic C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond cleavage for the efficient generation of alkyl radicals, which were subsequently reacted with various alkenes to afford the corresponding Giese-type products. After the reaction, the produced xanthones can be recovered in high yield.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)Acta Medica Okayama2169-3536132025Optimized Ensemble Deep Learning for Real-Time Intrusion Detection on Resource-Constrained Raspberry Pi Devices113544113556ENMuhammad BisriMusthafaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySamsulHudaInterdisciplinary Education and Research Field, Okayama UniversityTuy TanNguyenSchool of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona UniversityYutaKoderaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityThe rapid growth of Internet of Things (IoT) networks has increased security risks, making it essential to have effective Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) for real-time threat detection. Deep learning techniques offer promising solutions for such detection due to their superior complex pattern recognition and anomaly detection capabilities in large datasets. This paper proposes an optimized ensemble-based IDS designed specifically for efficient deployment on edge hardware. However, deploying such computationally intensive models on resource-limited edge devices remains a significant challenge due to model size and computational overhead on devices with limited processing capabilities. Building upon our previously developed stacked Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model integrated with ANOVA feature selection, we optimize it by integrating dual-stage model compression: pruning and quantization to create a lightweight model suitable for real-time inference on Raspberry Pi devices. To evaluate the system under realistic conditions, we combined with a Kafka-based testbed to simulate dynamic IoT environments with variable traffic loads, delays, and multiple simultaneous attack sources. This enables the assessment of detection performance under varying traffic volumes, latency, and overlapping attack scenarios. The proposed system maintains high detection performance with accuracy of 97.3% across all test scenarios, while efficiently leveraging multi-core processing with peak CPU usage reaching 111.8%. These results demonstrate the system’s practical viability for real-time IoT security at the edge.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)Acta Medica Okayama2169-3536132025Security in Post-Quantum Era: A Comprehensive Survey on Lattice-Based Algorithms8900389024ENHienNguyenSchool of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona UniversitySamsulHudaInterdisciplinary Education and Research Field, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTuy TanNguyenSchool of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona UniversityLattice-based post-quantum cryptography (PQC) has attracted significant attention as a promising solution to the security challenges posed by quantum computing. Unlike traditional cryptographic algorithms, lattice-based schemes are expected to remain secure even in the presence of quantum attacks, making them essential for securing future data. Despite their strong theoretical foundations, lattice-based schemes face several practical challenges, particularly in optimizing performance and scalability for real-world applications. This survey provides a novel taxonomy that categorizes lattice-based PQC designs, with an emphasis on computational paradigms and security considerations. We systematically evaluate lattice-based PQC implementations across both software platforms, including central processing units and graphics processing units, as well as hardware platforms like field-programmable gate arrays and application-specific integrated circuits, highlighting their strengths and limitations. In addition, we explore the practical applications of lattice-based cryptography in fields such as secure communication, critical infrastructure, privacy-preserving data analytics, artificial intelligence, and trust and authentication systems. By offering a comprehensive overview of the current state of lattice-based PQC, this survey aims to provide valuable insights into the ongoing advancements and future research directions in the field as we transition to a post-quantum era.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Fuji Technology Press Ltd.Acta Medica Okayama1883-80302042025High-Definition Topographic Archiving and Educational Applications in Regions Affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake401409ENTakuroOguraGraduate School of Education, Hyogo University of Teacher EducationHiroyukiYamauchiArt Research Center, Ritsumeikan UniversityTatsutoAokiFaculty of Regional Development Studies, Kanazawa UniversityNobuhisaMattaGraduate School of Education, Okayama UniversityKotaroIizukaCenter for Spatial Information Science, The University of TokyoYoshiyaIwasaFaculty of Education, University of Teacher Education FukuokaTakayukiTakahashiInternational Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku UniversityKiyomiHayashiFaculty of Regional Development Studies, Kanazawa UniversityTsuyoshiHattanjiInstitute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of TsukubaTakashiOguchiCenter for Spatial Information Science, The University of TokyoThe 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake (Mw 7.5) caused extensive damage in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, and surrounding areas, with considerable coastal uplift and tsunami flooding. Past 100 years’ records show no earthquake above Mw 7.0 in the Noto Peninsula, so for everyone alive today, this event is truly without precedent. Therefore, we aimed to support disaster prevention education by developing teaching materials using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) based on digitally archived topographic changes. High-definition topographic data collected from multiple UAV surveys were processed into digital and analog formats, including 3D models, spherical panorama images, and 3D printings. These materials were designed to provide detailed and intuitive representations of post-disaster landforms and were used as educational tools in schools. The learning materials were introduced during a workshop for disaster-affected teachers, featuring hands-on activities to help participants familiarize themselves with the materials, and explore their integration into geography and science classes. Feedback from participants indicated that these tools were highly effective in enhancing classroom learning. The results of this study are expected to contribute to preserving disaster records while enhancing disaster awareness in educational settings and local communities.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.S. Karger AGActa Medica Okayama1015-97702025Asymptomatic intracranial vascular lesions and cognitive function in a general population of Japanese men: Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis (SESSA)ENTakahiroItoDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceAkiraFujiyoshiDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceTakayoshiOhkuboDepartment of Hygiene and Public Health, Teikyo University School of MedicineAkihikoShiinoMolecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceSatoshiShitaraDepartment of Neurosurgery, Shiga University of Medical ScienceNaokoMiyagawaDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University School of MedicineSayukiToriiDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiroyoshiSegawaDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKeikoKondoDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceAyaKadotaDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceIkuoTooyamaMolecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical ScienceYoshiyukiWatanabeDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKazumichiYoshidaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKazuhikoNozakiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKatsuyukiMiuraDepartment of Radiology, Shiga University of Medical ScienceThe SESSA Research GroupIntroduction: Intracranial subclinical vessel diseases are considered important indicators of cognitive impairment. However, a comprehensive assessment of various types of vessel disease, particularly in Asian populations, is lacking. We aimed to compare multiple types of intracranial vessel disease in association with cognitive function among a community-based Japanese male population. Methods: The Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis (SESSA) randomly recruited and examined a community-based cohort of Japanese men from Shiga, Japan. We analyzed those who underwent the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) assessment and cranial magnetic resonance imaging/angiogram (MRI/MRA) in 2010–2015. Using MRI/MRA, we assessed lacunar infarction, microbleeds, periventricular hyperintensity (PVH), deep subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH), and intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS). We divided these subclinical cerebrovascular diseases (SCDs) into three categories according to severity. Using linear regression, we calculated the CASI score according to the grade of each vessel disease, adjusted for age and years of education. Results: In the adjusted models, CASI scores were significantly associated with both PVH and DSWMH. Specifically, multivariable-adjusted CASI scores declined across increasing severity categories of DSWMH (91.7, 91.2, and 90.4; p for trend = 0.011) and PVH (91.5, 90.4, and 89.7; p for trend = 0.006). Other SCDs did not show significant associations. In stratified analyses based on the presence or absence of each SCD, both DSWMH and PVH demonstrated significant inverse trends with CASI scores in the absence of lacunar infarcts and microbleeds and in the presence of ICAS. Additionally, among participants with PVH (+), ≥moderate ICAS was significantly associated with lower CASI scores. Conclusion: PVH and DSWMH showed significant dose-response relationships with cognitive function among community-based Japanese men. These findings suggest that white matter lesions may be an important indicator of early cognitive impairment, and severe ICAS may also play a role in those with PVH.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2227-903213122025Association Between Chewing Status and Steatotic Liver Disease in Japanese People Aged ≥50 Years: A Cohort Study1399ENKomeiIwaiDepartment of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Asahi UniversityDaisukeEkuniDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTetsujiAzumaDepartment of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Asahi UniversityTakatoshiYonenagaDepartment of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Asahi UniversityKoichiroTabataDepartment of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Asahi UniversityNaokiToyamaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKotaKataokaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakayukiMaruyamaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakaakiTomofujiDepartment of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Asahi UniversityBackground/Objectives: In this longitudinal study, the relationship between chewing status and steatotic liver disease (SLD) was examined in 3775 people aged ≥50 years who underwent medical checkups at Junpukai Health Maintenance Center in Okayama, Japan. Methods: Participants without SLD at the time of a baseline survey in 2018 were followed until 2022. Chewing status was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. The presence or absence of SLD was ascertained from the medical records of Junpukai Health Maintenance Center. Results: A total of 541 participants (14%) were diagnosed as having a poor chewing status at baseline. Furthermore, 318 (8%) participants were newly diagnosed with SLD at follow-up. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, the presence or absence of SLD was found to be associated with the following characteristics at baseline: sex (male: odds ratio [ORs] = 1.806; 95% confidence interval [CIs]: 1.399–2.351), age (ORs = 0.969; 95% CIs: 0.948–0.991), body mass index (≥25.0 kg/m2; ORs = 1.934; 95% CIs: 1.467–2.549), diastolic blood pressure (ORs = 1.017; 95% CIs: 1.002–1.032), and chewing status (poor: ORs = 1.472; 95% CIs: 1.087–1.994). Conclusions: The results indicate that a poor chewing status was associated with SLD development after 4 years. Aggressively recommending dental visits to participants with poor chewing status may not only improve their ability to chew well but may also reduce the incidence of SLD.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Izmir Akademi DernegiActa Medica Okayama2792-0232522025Metaverse Support Groups for LGBTQ+ Youth: An Observational Study on Safety, Self-Expression, and Early Intervention156167ENJoeHaseiOkayama UniversityYosukeMatsumotoDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHirokiKawaiDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYukoOkahisaDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesManabuTakakiDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshifumiOzakiScience of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceu-tical Sciences, Okayama UniversityThis study explored whether metaverse-based support groups could address social isolation and suicide risks among LGBTQ+ youths by providing enhanced anonymity, avatar-based self-expression, and improved accessibility. Over one year, 53 individuals aged 14–23 participated in regular online sessions facilitated via the "cluster" metaverse platform by a non-profit LGBTQ+ organization. Each 90-minute session included voice and text-based interactions within a specially designed single-floor virtual space featuring conversation areas and a designated "safe area" for emotional regulation. Post-session questionnaires (5-point Likert scales) captured demographics, avatar preferences, self-confidence, and perceived safety, self-expression, and accessibility; responses were analyzed with Pearson's chi-squared test and Mann–Whitney U tests (α=0.05). Results indicated that 79.2% of participants selected avatars aligned with their gender identity, reporting high satisfaction (mean = 4.10/5) and minimal discomfort (mean = 1.79/5). Social confidence was significantly higher in the metaverse compared with real-world settings (p<0.001), particularly among those with lower real-world confidence, who exhibited an average gain of 2.08 points. Approximately half of all first-time participants were aged 16 years or younger, which suggested the platform’s value for early intervention. Additionally, the metaverse environment was rated significantly higher in safety/privacy (3.94/5), self-expression (4.02/5), and accessibility (4.21/5) compared with the real-world baseline, and 73.6% reported they felt more accepted virtually. However, some participants who had high confidence offline experienced mild adaptation challenges (mean decrease of 0.58 points), which highlighted that metaverse-based support may be more effective as a complement to in-person services rather than a replacement. Overall, these findings demonstrate that metaverse-based support groups can reduce psychological barriers for LGBTQ+ youth by facilitating safe and affirming virtual environments. The metaverse may help alleviate emotional distress and prevent further severe outcomes, such as suicidal ideation by providing early intervention, especially for adolescents unable to access conventional in-person services. Further research should examine its integration with existing clinical, community, and educational resources to ensure comprehensive, long-term support.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama0360-31991402025Advances in filler-crosslinked membranes for hydrogen fuel cells in sustainable energy generation745776ENAminulIslamDepartment of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Jashore University of Science and TechnologyMamunShahriarDepartment of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Jashore University of Science and TechnologyMd. TarekulIslamDepartment of Leather Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering and TechnologySiow HwaTeoIndustrial Chemistry Program, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia SabahM. Azizur R.KhanDepartment of Chemistry, Jashore University of Science and TechnologyYun HinTaufiq-YapCatalysis Science and Technology Research Centre, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra MalaysiaSuman C.MohantaDepartment of Chemistry, Jashore University of Science and TechnologyAriyan IslamRehanDepartment of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of TokyoAdiba IslamRaseeDepartment of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka UniversityKhadiza TulKubraDepartment of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka UniversityMd. MunjurHasanDepartment of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka UniversityMd. ShadSalmanInstitute for Chemical Research, Kyoto UniversityR.M.WaliullahInstitute for Chemical Research, Kyoto UniversityMd. NazmulHasanDepartment of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of TokyoMd. ChanmiyaSheikhDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTetsuyaUchidaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMrs EtiAwualInstitute for Chemical Research, Kyoto UniversityMohammed SohrabHossainDepartment of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Osaka UniversityHusseinZnadWestern Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin UniversityMd. RabiulAwualWestern Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin UniversityFuel cell membranes can be used in various ways to achieve zero-emission transport and energy systems, which offer a promising way to power production due to their higher efficiency compared to the internal combustion engine and the eco-environment. Perfluoro sulfonic acid membranes used for proton exchange membranes (PEMs) have certain drawbacks, like higher fuel permeability and expense, lower mechanical and chemical durability, and proton conductivity under low humidity and above 80 °C temperature. Researchers have drawn their attention to the production of polymer electrolyte membranes with higher proton conductivity, thermal and chemical resilience, maximum power density, lower fuel permeability, and lower expense. For sustainable clean energy generation, a review covering the most useful features of advanced material-associated membranes would be of great benefit to all interested communities. This paper endeavors to explore several types of novel inorganic fillers and crosslinking agents, which have been incorporated into membrane matrices to design the desired properties for an advanced fuel cell system. Membrane parameters such as proton conductivity, the ability of H2 transport, and the stability of the membrane are described. Research directions for developing fuel cell membranes are addressed based on several challenges suggested. The technological advancement of nanostructured materials for fuel cell applications is believed to significantly promote the future clean energy generation technology in practice.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024Neurotransmitter recognition by human vesicular monoamine transporter 27661ENDohyunImDepartment of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityMikaJormakkaDepartment of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityNarinobuJugeDepartment of Genomics and Proteomics, Advanced Science Research Center, Okayama UniversityJun-ichiKishikawaDepartment of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of TechnologyTakayukiKatoInstitute for Protein Research, Osaka UniversityYukihikoSugitaLaboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto UniversityTakeshiNodaLaboratory of Ultrastructural Virology, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto UniversityTomokoUemuraDepartment of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityYukiShiimuraDepartment of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityTakaakiMiyajiDepartment of Genomics and Proteomics, Advanced Science Research Center, Okayama UniversityHidetsuguAsadaDepartment of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversitySoIwataDepartment of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityHuman vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), a member of the SLC18 family, plays a crucial role in regulating neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating their uptake and storage within vesicles, preparing them for exocytotic release. Because of its central role in neurotransmitter signalling and neuroprotection, VMAT2 is a target for neurodegenerative diseases and movement disorders, with its inhibitor being used as therapeutics. Despite the importance of VMAT2 in pharmacophysiology, the molecular basis of VMAT2-mediated neurotransmitter transport and its inhibition remains unclear. Here we show the cryo-electron microscopy structure of VMAT2 in the substrate-free state, in complex with the neurotransmitter dopamine, and in complex with the inhibitor tetrabenazine. In addition to these structural determinations, monoamine uptake assays, mutational studies, and pKa value predictions were performed to characterize the dynamic changes in VMAT2 structure. These results provide a structural basis for understanding VMAT2-mediated vesicular transport of neurotransmitters and a platform for modulation of current inhibitor design.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2227-90591322025The Asia-Pacific Body Mass Index Classification and New-Onset Chronic Kidney Disease in Non-Diabetic Japanese Adults: A Community-Based Longitudinal Study from 1998 to 2023373ENYukariOkawaDepartment of Public Health and Welfare, Zentsuji City HallToshiharuMitsuhashiCenter for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University HospitalToshihideTsudaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityBackground/Objectives: Obesity is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Asians. The Asia-Pacific body mass index (BMI) classification sets lower obesity cutoffs than the conventional BMI classification for all races, generally reflecting the lower BMIs in Asians. This longitudinal study evaluated the association between BMI, as classified by the Asia-Pacific BMI system, and CKD development in non-diabetic Asian adults. Methods: A population-based longitudinal study (1998–2023) was conducted in non-diabetic Japanese adults (hemoglobin A1c < 6.5%) in Zentsuji City (Kagawa Prefecture, Japan). The generalized gamma model was used to assess the relationship between time-varying BMI categories and CKD development, stratified by sex. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. BMI was calculated as weight (kg) divided by the square of height (m2) and categorized per the Asia-Pacific classification as overweight (23.0–24.9 kg/m2), obesity class I (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), and obesity class II (≥30.0 kg/m2). Results: CKD developed in 34.2% of 3098 men and 34.8% of 4391 women. The mean follow-up times were 7.41 years for men and 8.25 years for women. During follow-up, the BMI distributions for men were 5.0% underweight, 43.3% normal weight, 25.6% overweight, 24.1% obesity class I, and 2.0% obesity class II; those for women were 7.7%, 50.5%, 20.5%, 18.3%, and 2.9%, respectively. Compared with normal weight, obesity class I was associated with a 6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2–10%) shorter time to CKD onset in men and 5% (95% CI: 2–7%) in women. In both sexes, obesity class II showed shorter survival times than normal weight by point estimates, although all 95% CIs crossed the null value. Conclusions: Obesity, as classified by the Asia-Pacific BMI system, shortened the time to CKD onset in non-diabetic Asians. The conventional BMI cutoff for obesity (≥30.0 kg/m2) may be too high to identify CKD risk in this population. The findings of this study may be useful for public health professionals in designing interventions to prevent CKD.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Oxford University Press (OUP)Acta Medica Okayama0002-07295482025Oestrogen replacement combined with resistance exercise in older women with knee osteoarthritis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trialafaf224ENTomohiroMitomaMedical Development Field, Center for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama UniversityHikaruOobaMedical Development Field, Center for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama UniversityKasumiTakahashiObstetrics and Gynecology, Ochiai HospitalTsunemasaKondoObstetrics and Gynecology, Ochiai HospitalTomohiroIkedaRehabilitation Medicine, Okayama University HospitalYokoSakamotoMedical Development Field, Center for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama UniversityToshiharuMitsuhashiMedical Development Field, Center for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama UniversityJotaMakiMedical Development Field, Center for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama UniversityBackground: Interventions targeting physical function decline in older women with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) are vital for healthy ageing. The additive benefits of combining oestrogen replacement therapy (ERT) with resistance exercise remain unclear.<br>
Objective: To evaluate the additive effect of low-dose ERT on physical performance when combined with a muscle resistance exercise programme (MREP) in older women with KOA.<br>
Design: This is a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised clinical trial.<br>
Subjects: The subjects were community-dwelling women aged ≥65 years with chronic knee pain and KOA diagnosis.<br>
Methods: Participants completed a 3-month MREP and were randomised to receive daily low-dose transdermal ERT (oestradiol 0.54 mg/day) or placebo. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, postintervention and 12 months later. The primary outcome was change in 30-second chair stand test (CS-30) score. Secondary outcomes included muscle mass, knee extension strength, walking performance, metabolic indicators, knee pain scale and 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12). Between-group differences in CS-30 changes were analysed using a linear regression model based on the intention-to-treat principle.<br>
Results: Among 168 individuals screened, 75 participants (mean age 73.8 years, SD 5.8) were enrolled and randomised into an ERT group (n = 37) or a placebo group (n = 38). Baseline CS-30 scores were 14.81 (SD 3.95) in the ERT group and 15.58 (SD 3.48) in the placebo group. At 3 months, mean changes were 2.59 (SD 2.58) and 1.79 (SD 2.28) repetitions, respectively. The primary analysis showed no statistically significant between-group difference [regression coefficient: 0.81 (95% CI: −0.31, 1.92); P = .16]. Post hoc subgroup and sensitivity analyses suggested that benefits may exist among early-stage KOA participants. SF-12 mental health scores also improved significantly in the ERT group. No serious adverse events occurred.<br>
Conclusions: ERT did not confer significant additive benefits to resistance exercise overall but may improve outcomes in early-stage KOA and mental health domains. These exploratory findings warrant further investigation.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7942025Bloodstream Infections Caused by Gram-Negative Bacteria in Geriatric Patients: Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Resistance and The Factors Affecting Mortality231242ENM Enes KardanDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Namik Kemal UniversityIlknurErdemDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Namik Kemal UniversityEmreYildizDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Namik Kemal UniversityNuriKirazDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Namik Kemal UniversityAliyeÇelikkolDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Namik Kemal UniversityOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/69148Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in geriatric patients. We retrospectively analyzed the cases of geriatric patients who developed BSIs due to gram-negative bacteria in order to evaluate the epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and the factors affecting mortality. The cases of 110 patients aged ≥ 65 years admitted to our hospital between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2022 were assessed; 70 (63.6%) of the BSIs were healthcare-associated BSIs. The urinary system was the most common detectable source of infection at 43.6%. The most frequently isolated bacteria were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, in that order. Carbapenem resistance was detected in 17 patients (15.5%), and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production from Enterobacterales family members was detected in 37 (51.4%) patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that (i) the probability of mortality in the patients with total bilirubin was increased by approx. sixfold and (ii) the likelihood of mortality for those with a Pitt bacteremia score (PBS) ≥ 4 points was approx. 17 times higher. PBS and simplified qPitt scores can help predict mortality and manage geriatric patients. There is a significant increase in mortality among patients with procalcitonin (PCT) levels at ≥ 2 nm/ml.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7942025Organ Donation after Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: Clinical and Ethical Perspectives221229ENTetsuyaYumotoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHiromichiNaitoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakashiHongoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakafumiObaraDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYoshinoriKosakiDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKoheiAgetaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTsuyoshiNojimaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKoheiTsukaharaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityAtsunoriNakaoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityReview10.18926/AMO/69147Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) has evolved into a life-saving therapy for select cardiac arrest patients, yet a growing body of evidence suggests it also holds promise as a bridge to organ donation in non-survivors. This review explores the clinical outcomes, ethical complexities, and evolving policies surrounding organ donation after ECPR. We summarize recent international and Japanese data demonstrating favorable graft function from ECPR donors, with the exception of lung transplantation. The ethical challenges ― particularly those involving brain death determination on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and adherence to the dead donor rule ― are discussed in the context of Japan’s recent regulatory reforms. Additionally, we highlight the importance of structured end-of-life communication through multidisciplinary team meetings in facilitating ethically sound transitions from rescue efforts to donation pathways. Moving forward, improvements in donor management, standardized legal frameworks, and public and professional education are essential to optimizing the life-saving and life-giving potential of ECPR.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2662-4435612025Biogeochemical impact of nickel and urea in the great oxidation event654ENDilan M.RatnayakeThe Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama UniversityRyojiTanakaThe Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama UniversityEizoNakamuraThe Pheasant Memorial Laboratory for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama UniversityThe Great Oxidation Event marks the first substantial increase in atmospheric oxygen on Earth. Despite the oxygenic photosynthesis that emerged hundreds of million years before this event, the specific biogeochemical mechanisms responsible for maintaining low oxygen levels for an extended period remain elusive. Here, we show the critical role of urea as a nitrogen source for cyanobacteria, the cascading impact of nickel on abiotic urea production, and their combined effects on the proliferation of cyanobacteria leading to the great oxidation event. Urea formation was experimentally evaluated under simulated Archean conditions and cyanobacterial growth was monitored providing urea as the nitrogen source. Our findings demonstrate that urea can be produced in the Archean cyanobacterial habitats with UV-C irradiation, shedding light on the controversy regarding the evolution of nitrogen-fixing enzymes in primitive cyanobacteria. We propose that environmental conditions in the early Archean, characterized by elevated urea and nickel concentration, may have hindered cyanobacterial expansion, contributing to the delay between the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis and the onset of the great oxidation event.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama0006-291X77920251,2-naphthoquinone enhances IFN-γ-induced MHC-I expression in dendritic cells, thereby inducing CD8 T cell activation152453ENKazuyukiFurutaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKanonMiyazatoGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKaiKobataGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKazuyaIshikawaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityChikaraKaitoGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityDendritic cells play a crucial role in immune responses by capturing pathogens and presenting antigens to T cells via major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, thus triggering adaptive immune responses. 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ), a quinone found in diesel exhaust and cigarette smoke, has various physiological functions. In this study, we investigated the effect of 1,2-NQ on the expression of antigen presentation-related molecules in the dendritic cell line DC2.4. The results revealed that 1,2-NQ enhanced the IFN-γ-induced upregulation of MHC-I expression at the transcriptional level. Moreover, it upregulated the expression of NLRC5, a transcriptional activator of MHC-I. 1,2-NQ is a reactive oxygen species (ROS) producing reagent. The 1,2-NQ-induced upregulation of MHC-I expression and downregulation of MHC-II expression were abolished by the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Similar effects on MHC expression were also observed with ROS-inducing reagents, such as paraquat and diethyl maleate. In addition, dendritic cells stimulated with 1,2-NQ exhibited enhanced efficacy in CD8 T cell activation, which was accompanied by increased IFN-γ production by T cells. These findings demonstrate that 1,2-NQ enhances the IFN-γ-induced activation of dendritic cells and promotes the activation of CD8 T cells.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Oxford University Press (OUP)Acta Medica Okayama1099-51292722025SCN5A variant type-dependent risk prediction in Brugada syndromeeuaf024ENTakanoriAizawaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of MedicineTakeruMakiyamaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of MedicineHaiHuangDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine , 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 ,TomohikoImamuraDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of MedicineMegumiFukuyamaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKeikoSonodaMedical Genome Center, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular CenterKoichiKatoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shiga University of Medical ScienceTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineYukoNakamuraDepartment of Pediatrics, Tsuchiura Kyodo General HospitalKenjiHoshinoDepartment of Cardiology, Saitama Children’s Medical CenterJunichiOzawaDepartment of Pediatrics, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesHiroshiSuzukiUonuma Institute of Community Medicine, Niigata University Medical and Dental HospitalKazushiYasudaDepartment of Pediatric Cardiology, Aichi Children’s Health and Medical CenterHisaakiAokiDepartment of Pediatric Cardiology, Osaka Women’s and Children’s HospitalTakashiKuritaDivision of Cardiovascular Center, Kindai University School of MedicineYokoYoshidaDivision of Pediatric Cardiology and Electrophysiology, Osaka City General HospitalTsugutoshiSuzukiDivision of Pediatric Cardiology and Electrophysiology, Osaka City General HospitalYoshihideNakamuraDivision of Pediatric Cardiology and Electrophysiology, Osaka City General HospitalYoshiharuOgawaDivision of Cardiology, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children’s HospitalShintaroYamagamiDepartment of Cardiology, Tenri HospitalHiroshiMoritaDepartment of Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityShinsukeYuasaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasakazuFukudaDivision of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of MedicineMakotoOnoDivision of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of MedicineHidekazuKondoDepartment of Cardiology and Clinical Examination, Faculty of Medicine, Oita UniversityNaohikoTakahashiDepartment of Cardiology and Clinical Examination, Faculty of Medicine, Oita UniversitySeikoOhnoMedical Genome Center, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular CenterYoshihisaNakagawaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shiga University of Medical ScienceKohOnoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of MedicineMinoruHorieDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shiga University of Medical ScienceAims The variant in SCN5A with the loss of function (LOF) effect in the cardiac Na+ channel (Nav1.5) is the definitive cause for Brugada syndrome (BrS), and the functional analysis data revealed that LOF variants are associated with poor prognosis. However, which variant types (e.g. missense or non-missense) affect the prognoses of those variant carriers remain unelucidated.<br>
Methods and results We defined SCN5A LOF variants as all non-missense and missense variants that produce peak INa < 65% of wild-type previously confirmed by patch-clamp studies. The study population consisted of 76 Japanese BrS patients (74% patients were male and the median age [IQR] at diagnosis was 28 [14–45] years) with LOF type of SCN5A variants: 40 with missense and 36 with non-missense variants. Non-missense variant carriers presented significantly more severe cardiac conduction disorder compared to the missense variant carriers. During follow-up periods of 9.0 [5.0–14.0] years, compared to missense variants, non-missense variants were significant risk factors of lifetime lethal arrhythmia events (LAEs) (P = 0.023). When focusing only on the missense variants that produce no peak INa, these missense variant carriers exhibited the same clinical outcomes as those with non-missense (log-rank P = 0.325). After diagnosis, however, both variant types were comparable in risk of LAEs (P = 0.155).<br>
Conclusion We identified, for the first time, that SCN5A non-missense variants were associated with higher probability of LAE than missense variants in BrS patients though it did not change significantly after diagnosis.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-73452025Revisiting 3-azidoindoles: overcoming the trade-off challenges between stability and reactivity of in situ-generated azidoindolesENShotaAsaiSchool of Pharmacy, Shujitsu UniversityKeisukeTokushigeGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakumiAbeGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityA concise protocol based on the E2 reaction of indoline hemiaminals for accessing 3-azidoindoles is reported. In contrast to previous methods that require in situ generation by hypervalent iodine reagents, our protocol allows for the isolation of a variety of 3-azidoindoles upon a mild reaction for a short reaction time at room temperature. The obtained 3-azidoindoles are reasonably reactive, bench-stable and easy to handle. These findings could be used as a starting point for various reactions, including Huisgen reaction, [3+2] cycloaddition, phosphoramidation, and cine-substitution with the release of N2.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-734560762024Investigating the radical properties of oxidized carbon materials under photo-irradiation: behavior of carbon radicals and their application in catalytic reactions1054410547ENMd RazuAhmedResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityIsrael OrtizAnayaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityYutaNishinaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityOxidized carbon materials have abundant surface functional groups and customizable properties, making them an excellent platform for generating radicals. Unlike reactive oxygen species such as hydroxide or superoxide radicals that have been reported previously, oxidized carbon also produces stable carbon radicals under photo-irradiation. This has been confirmed through electron spin resonance. Among the various oxidized carbon materials synthesized, graphene oxide shows the largest number of carbon radicals when exposed to blue LED light. The light absorption capacity, high surface area, and unique structural characteristics of oxidized carbon materials offer a unique function for radical-mediated oxidative reactions.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学経済学会Acta Medica Okayama2433-41465712025イノベーションの発生源研究の再検討120ENQiHuangDaijiFujii10.18926/OER/69001 本論文は，イノベーションの発生源に関する先行研究を振り返り，「いつ」「どこで」「誰によって」イノベーションが生み出されるのかを理論的に考察することを目的とする。考察の結果，「B to B」の文脈においては，イノベーションの発生源が企業ユーザーへ移行するメカニズムとして，取引コスト理論，期待利益仮説，情報粘着性の仮説，企業内部の独自能力（吸収能力），および外部の産業構造（製品アーキテクチャ・エコシステム）といった複数の要素からなる経済的合理性の観点から分析されていることが明らかになった。一方，「B to C」の文脈では，エンドユーザーがイノベーションに向かう動機として，「ニッチ市場に対するメーカーの消極的な対応」「創造的活動の楽しさ」「ユーザーコミュニティとの繋がり」「知識・スキルの向上」など多種多様な要素が存在し，中でも創造的活動の楽しさが根源的な動機づけの1つであると確認された。一方で，イノベーターを突き動かす心理的要因をブラックボックス化したまま放置することは，単なる知的好奇心の問題に留まらず，社会科学としての経営学にとっても重要な問題であると考えられる。今後のイノベーションの発生源研究においては，起業家をはじめとするイノベーター個人の心理的側面にいかに目を向け，創造的活動におけるポジティブな感情が働くメカニズムをイノベーションの発生メカニズムにいかに位置づけるか，その研究アプローチの提示が求められる。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024Shoot-Silicon-Signal protein to regulate root silicon uptake in rice10712ENNaokiYamajiInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityNamikiMitani-UenoInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityToshikiFujiiInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityTomonoriShinyaInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityJi FengShaoState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry UniversityShotaWatanukiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasunoriSaitohGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityJian FengMaInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityPlants accumulate silicon to protect them from biotic and abiotic stresses. Especially in rice (Oryza sativa), a typical Si-accumulator, tremendous Si accumulation is indispensable for healthy growth and productivity. Here, we report a shoot-expressed signaling protein, Shoot-Silicon-Signal (SSS), an exceptional homolog of the flowering hormone “florigen” differentiated in Poaceae. SSS transcript is only detected in the shoot, whereas the SSS protein is also detected in the root and phloem sap. When Si is supplied from the root, the SSS transcript rapidly decreases, and then the SSS protein disappears. In sss mutants, root Si uptake and expression of Si transporters are decreased to a basal level regardless of the Si supply. The grain yield of the mutants is decreased to 1/3 due to insufficient Si accumulation. Thus, SSS is a key phloem-mobile protein for integrating root Si uptake and shoot Si accumulation underlying the terrestrial adaptation strategy of grasses.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024A high-protein diet-responsive gut hormone regulates behavioral and metabolic optimization in Drosophila melanogaster10819ENYutoYoshinariMetabolic Regulation and Genetics, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma UniversityTakashiNishimuraMetabolic Regulation and Genetics, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma UniversityTaishiYoshiiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityShuKondoDepartment of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Tokyo University of ScienceHiromuTanimotoGraduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku UniversityTomoeKobayashiDivision of Molecular Genetics, Shigei Medical Research InstituteMakotoMatsuyamaDivision of Molecular Genetics, Shigei Medical Research InstituteRyusukeNiwaLife Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of TsukubaProtein is essential for all living organisms; however, excessive protein intake can have adverse effects, such as hyperammonemia. Although mechanisms responding to protein deficiency are well-studied, there is a significant gap in our understanding of how organisms adaptively suppress excessive protein intake. In the present study, utilizing the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we discover that the peptide hormone CCHamide1 (CCHa1), secreted by enteroendocrine cells in response to a high-protein diet (HPD), is vital for suppressing overconsumption of protein. Gut-derived CCHa1 is received by a small subset of enteric neurons that produce short neuropeptide F, thereby modulating protein-specific satiety. Importantly, impairment of the CCHa1-mediated gut-enteric neuronal axis results in ammonia accumulation and a shortened lifespan under HPD conditions. Collectively, our findings unravel the crosstalk of gut hormone and neuronal pathways that orchestrate physiological responses to prevent and adapt to dietary protein overload.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.IEEEActa Medica Okayama2833-23502023Non Real-Time Data Transmission Performance Analysis of PROFINET for Assuring Data Transmission Quality236244ENTakashiNorimatsuGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityToshihiroYamauchiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityThe industrial Ethernet PROFINET supports three different data transmission modes: isochronous real-time (IRT), real-time (RT), and non real-time (NRT) transmitting data requiring hard, soft, and no real-time performances, respectively. The data transmission latency in the NRT increased with the amount of data transmission in the IRT, RT, and NRT. Therefore, the quality of data transmission in NRT may degrade as the amount of data transmission in IRT, RT, and NRT increases. In this study, we derived the average data transmission latency in an NRT with data transmission in IRT and RT by applying stochastic processes. This allowed us to maintain the quality of data transmission in the NRT by adjusting the number of devices connected to the network and the number of applications transmitting data in the NRT so that the average latency of data in the NRT does not exceed a certain value.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Nature SwitzerlandActa Medica Okayama2367-45122025Investigation Towards Detecting Landing Websites for Fake Japanese Shopping Websites107119ENDaigoMichishitaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySatoruKobayashiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityToshihiroYamauchiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityRecently, the number of victims of fake shopping websites that imitate legitimate ones to defraud people has been increasing. It has been shown that fake shopping websites use legitimate defaced landing websites as their leading paths. Therefore, if the detection of landing websites for fake shopping websites can be achieved, it can assist in addressing these websites and reduce the opportunities for users to be redirected to fake shopping websites. In this study, we collect and investigate existing landing websites that redirect users to fake Japanese shopping websites and identify effective features for detecting them. We identified effective search terms for collecting landing websites for fake Japanese shopping websites and found that using Google searches with queries of top-level domain and product names was effective. We also investigated the conditions for activating analytical evasion functions in the collected landing websites for fake Japanese shopping websites and clarified the differences in search results between crawlers and users.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama1424-822025122025Effects of Sampling Frequency on Human Activity Recognition with Machine Learning Aiming at Clinical Applications3780ENTakahiroYamaneDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama UniversityMoekaKimuraFaculty of Health Sciences, Okayama University Medical SchoolMizukiMoritaDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama UniversityHuman activity recognition using wearable accelerometer data can be a useful digital biomarker for severity assessment and the diagnosis of diseases, where the relationship between onset and patient activity is crucial. For long-term monitoring in clinical settings, the volume of data collected over time should be minimized to reduce power consumption, computational load, and communication volume. This study aimed to determine the lowest sampling frequency that maintains recognition accuracy for each activity. Thirty healthy participants wore nine-axis accelerometer sensors at five body locations and performed nine activities. Machine-learning-based activity recognition was conducted using data sampled at 100, 50, 25, 20, 10, and 1 Hz. Data from the non-dominant wrist and chest, which have previously shown high recognition accuracy, were used. Reducing the sampling frequency to 10 Hz did not significantly affect the recognition accuracy for either location. However, lowering the frequency to 1 Hz decreases the accuracy of many activities, particularly brushing teeth. Using data with a 10 Hz sampling frequency can maintain recognition accuracy while decreasing data volume, enabling long-term patient monitoring and device miniaturization for clinical applications.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Korean Association of AnatomistsActa Medica Okayama2093-36655822025The trochlea for the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle: a review145148ENXanderdu PlooyTulane University School of MedicineYukiKunisadaDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityJuan J.CardonaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of MedicineYokoTabiraDivision of Gross and Clinical Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Kurume University School of MedicineKathleen CarolBubbAnatomy Division, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeKazzaraRaeburnDepartment of Anatomical Sciences, St. George’s UniversitySoichiroIbaragiDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityJoeIwanagaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of MedicineR. ShaneTubbsDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of MedicineThis review explores the novel perspective that the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle may function as an anatomical trochlear pulley system within the human body, challenging the traditional understanding of trochlear systems. While widely recognized trochlear units include structures like the medial part of the humerus and the superior oblique muscle of the orbit, the review focuses on the unique anatomical arrangement of the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle in connection with the anterior and posterior bellies of the digastric muscles. Despite current debates within the anatomical community about labeling the digastric muscles as having a trochlea, this paper delves into the scientific definition of a trochlear pulley system, presenting the intermediate tendon of the digastric muscle as a potential trochlea.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2025A Study on Information Security for End-to-End Communication by TCP/IP Internet Protocol SuiteENTakashiNORIMATSUGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama universityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2025Ligand-independent function of β2-adrenergic receptor affects IgE-mediated Ca2+ influx in mast cellsENKeiNAGAOGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231612025Structure of a photosystem II-FCPII supercomplex from a haptophyte reveals a distinct antenna organization4175ENRomainLa RoccaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Advanced Research Field, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKojiKatoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Advanced Research Field, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityPi-ChengTsaiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Advanced Research Field, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYoshikiNakajimaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Advanced Research Field, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityFusamichiAkitaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Advanced Research Field, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityJian-RenShenResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Advanced Research Field, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHaptophytes are unicellular algae that produce 30 to 50% of biomass in oceans. Among haptophytes, a subset named coccolithophores is characterized by calcified scales. Despite the importance of coccolithophores in global carbon fixation and CaCO3 production, their energy conversion system is still poorly known. Here we report a cryo-electron microscopic structure of photosystem II (PSII)-fucoxanthin chlorophyll c-binding protein (FCPII) supercomplex from Chyrostila roscoffensis, a representative of coccolithophores. This complex has two sets of six dimeric and monomeric FCPIIs, with distinct orientations. Interfaces of both FCPII/FCPII and FCPII/core differ from previously reported. We also determine the sequence of Psb36, a subunit previously found in diatoms and red algae. The principal excitation energy transfer (EET) pathways involve mainly 5 FCPIIs, where one FCPII monomer mediates EET to CP47. Our findings provide a solid structural basis for EET and energy dissipation pathways occurring in coccolithophores.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2399-3642812025TRPV2 mediates stress resilience in mouse cardiomyocytes715ENYubingDongDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityGuohaoWangDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYoshihiroUjiharaDepartment of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of TechnologyYanzhuChenDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityMasashiYoshidaDepartment of Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Disease, Okayama University Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazufumiNakamuraDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKimiakiKatanosakaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu UniversityKeijiNaruseDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYukiKatanosakaDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityThe heart dynamically compensates for haemodynamic stress, but how this resilience forms during cardiac growth is not clear. Using a temporally inducible, cardiac-specific knockout in mice we show that the Transient receptor potential vanilloid family 2 (TRPV2) channel is crucial for the maturation of cardiomyocyte stress resilience. TRPV2 defects in growing hearts lead to small morphology, abnormal intercalated discs, weak contractility, and low expression of serum response factor and Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signalling. Individual cardiomyocytes of TRPV2-deficient hearts show reduced contractility with abnormal Ca2+ handling. In cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes, mechanical Ca2+ response, excitation-contraction coupling, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ content, actin formation, nuclear localisation of Myocyte enhancer factor 2c, and IGF-1 expression require TRPV2. TRPV2-deficient hearts show a defective response to dobutamine stress and no compensatory hypertrophic response to phenylephrine administration, but no stress response to pressure overload. These data suggest TRPV2 mediates the maturation of cardiomyocyte stress resilience, and will advance therapeutic interventions and drug discovery for heart disease.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155813712025若手・中堅耳鼻咽喉科医師の臨床研究に対する質問紙調査2024ENKensukeUraguchiDepartment of Epidemiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakashiYorifujiDepartment of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversitySoshiTakaoDepartment of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityAkikoSugayaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityMizuoAndoDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Introduction : Clinical research is crucial for the advancement of medicine, but modern otolaryngologists' attitudes regarding clinical research have not been known. This study was conducted to survey the background, knowledge, and interest in clinical research among junior and mid-career otolaryngologists.<br>
Methods : A questionnaire survey was distributed to 34 otolaryngologists with ≤15 years' clinical experience working at Okayama University and its affiliated facilities. The respondents were divided into junior (non-specialists) and mid-career otolaryngologists (specialists) based on whether they were board-certified otolaryngologists. The survey assessed their background, understanding, and interest in clinical research.<br>
Results : Twenty-nine otolaryngologists (83%) responded (10 junior and 19 mid-career otolaryngologists). There was significant individual variation in their interest and knowledge of clinical research. However, approximately half of the respondents indicated that they were not interested in and/or had never engaged in clinical research.<br>
Conclusion : The data collected by this survey contribute to our understanding of the current state of clinical research engagement among junior and mid-career otolaryngologists, and they can serve as a basis for exploring future strategies to increase this engagement.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231612025A mini-hairpin shaped nascent peptide blocks translation termination by a distinct mechanism2323ENYushinAndoDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of TokyoAkinaoKoboSchool of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science TokyoTatsuyaNiwaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science TokyoAyakoYamakawaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science TokyoSuzunaKonomaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science TokyoYukiKobayashiSchool of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science TokyoOsamuNurekiDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of TokyoHidekiTaguchiSchool of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science TokyoYuzuruItohDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of TokyoYuheiChadaniFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityProtein synthesis by ribosomes produces functional proteins but also serves diverse regulatory functions, which depend on the coding amino acid sequences. Certain nascent peptides interact with the ribosome exit tunnel to arrest translation and modulate themselves or the expression of downstream genes. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of such ribosome stalling and its regulation remains elusive. In this study, we systematically screen for unidentified ribosome arrest peptides through phenotypic evaluation, proteomics, and mass spectrometry analyses, leading to the discovery of the arrest peptides PepNL and NanCL in E. coli. Our cryo-EM study on PepNL reveals a distinct arrest mechanism, in which the N-terminus of PepNL folds back towards the tunnel entrance to prevent the catalytic GGQ motif of the release factor from accessing the peptidyl transferase center, causing translation arrest at the UGA stop codon. Furthermore, unlike sensory arrest peptides that require an arrest inducer, PepNL uses tryptophan as an arrest inhibitor, where Trp-tRNATrp reads through the stop codon. Our findings illuminate the mechanism and regulatory framework of nascent peptide-induced translation arrest, paving the way for exploring regulatory nascent peptides.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama1999-48931832025A Hair Drawing Evaluation Algorithm for Exactness Assessment Method in Portrait Drawing Learning Assistant System143ENYueZhangDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityErita CiciliaFebriantiDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Politeknik Elektronika Negeri SurabayaAmangSudarsonoDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Politeknik Elektronika Negeri SurabayaChenchienHsuDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan Normal UniversityNowadays, portrait drawing has become increasingly popular as a means of developing artistic skills and nurturing emotional expression. However, it is challenging for novices to start learning it, as they usually lack a solid grasp of proportions and structural foundations of the five senses. To address this problem, we have studied Portrait Drawing Learning Assistant System (PDLAS) for guiding novices by providing auxiliary lines of facial features, generated by utilizing OpenPose and OpenCV libraries. For PDLAS, we have also presented the exactness assessment method to evaluate drawing accuracy using the Normalized Cross-Correlation (NCC) algorithm. It calculates the similarity score between the drawing result and the initial portrait photo. Unfortunately, the current method does not assess the hair drawing, although it occupies a large part of a portrait and often determines its quality. In this paper, we present a hair drawing evaluation algorithm for the exactness assessment method to offer comprehensive feedback to users in PDLAS. To emphasize hair lines, this algorithm extracts the texture of the hair region by computing the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the hair image. For evaluations, we applied the proposal to drawing results by seven students from Okayama University, Japan and confirmed the validity. In addition, we observed the NCC score improvement in PDLAS by modifying the face parts with low similarity scores from the exactness assessment method.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama1999-59031732025Facial Privacy Protection with Dynamic Multi-User Access Control for Online Photo Platforms124ENAndriSantosoGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySamsulHudaGreen Innovation Center, Okayama UniversityYutaKoderaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityIn the digital age, sharing moments through photos has become a daily habit. However, every face captured in these photos is vulnerable to unauthorized identification and potential misuse through AI-powered synthetic content generation. Previously, we introduced SnapSafe, a secure system for enabling selective image privacy focusing on facial regions for single-party scenarios. Recognizing that group photos with multiple subjects are a more common scenario, we extend SnapSafe to support multi-user facial privacy protection with dynamic access control designed for online photo platforms. Our approach introduces key splitting for access control, an owner-centric permission system for granting and revoking access to facial regions, and a request-based mechanism allowing subjects to initiate access permissions. These features ensure that facial regions remain protected while maintaining the visibility of non-facial content for general viewing. To ensure reproducibility and isolation, we implemented our solution using Docker containers. Our experimental assessment covered diverse scenarios, categorized as "Single", "Small", "Medium", and "Large", based on the number of faces in the photos. The results demonstrate the system's effectiveness across all test scenarios, consistently performing face encryption operations in under 350 ms and achieving average face decryption times below 286 ms across various group sizes. The key-splitting operations maintained a 100% success rate across all group configurations, while revocation operations were executed efficiently with server processing times remaining under 16 ms. These results validate the system's capability in managing facial privacy while maintaining practical usability in online photo sharing contexts.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2227-90321362025Effects of Trehalose on Halitosis: A Randomized Cross-Over Clinical Trial619ENHisatakaMiyaiDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakaakiTomofujiDepartment of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Asahi UniversityHirofumiMizunoDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityManabuMoritaDepartment of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Takarazuka University of Medical and Health CareMomokoNakaharaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Division of Dentistry, Okayama University HospitalKotaKataokaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Division of Dentistry, Okayama University HospitalIchiroSumitaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Division of Dentistry, Okayama University HospitalYurikaUchidaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Division of Dentistry, Okayama University HospitalNaokiToyamaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityAyaYokoiDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityReikoYamanaka-KohnoDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Division of Dentistry, Okayama University HospitalNorikoTakeuchiDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Division of Dentistry, Okayama University HospitalTakayukiMaruyamaDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityDaisukeEkuniDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityBackground/Objectives: Halitosis is a condition characterized by an unpleasant malodor. Intra-oral halitosis is caused by volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) and can be associated with oral dryness. Trehalose is one of the materials used to relieve oral dryness. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of trehalose on halitosis. Methods: This prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over study enrolled volunteers from Okayama University Hospital. The participants were randomly divided into two groups, with one group receiving trehalose (a 10% trehalose solution) and the other receiving a placebo (distilled water) in a 1:1 allocation. The primary study outcome was the subjective organoleptic test. The secondary outcomes were the concentrations of the VSCs, which were measured using a portable gas chromatography device, and the oral moisture status, which was measured using an oral moisture meter. The planned sample size was 10 participants based on the previous study. Results: The final intention-to-treat analysis was performed using the data from 9 participants. After applying 10% trehalose as an oral spray, the organoleptic score decreased in a time-dependent manner. However, no significant differences were seen between the trehalose and placebo groups. In terms of secondary outcomes, the oral moisture levels increased immediately after the trehalose spray application, and significant differences in the amount of change from the baseline were seen between the trehalose and placebo groups (p = 0.047). No significant differences were seen in any of the other variables (p > 0.05). Conclusions: We could not identify any positive effects on halitosis from a one-time 10% trehalose application as an oral spray in this prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. However, the trehalose application immediately improved the oral moisture levels and was useful for treating oral dryness.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育学部Acta Medica Okayama0471-4008891992「混住化農村調査」第１次報告書(1)734ENMASAONOBE10.18926/bgeou/68586No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育学部Acta Medica Okayama0471-4008901992「混住化農村調査」第１次報告書（U）915ENMASAONOBE10.18926/bgeou/68585No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育学部Acta Medica Okayama0471-4008951994混住化農村への流入過程の一考察 一倉敷市上東における既婚女性の事例一141152ENMASAONOBE10.18926/bgeou/68580No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323152025日中の高校生の手紙を使った交流活動を取り入れた国際理解教育の試み ―国際的課題を取り上げた公民科の単元開発―313324ENMoekaBEKKITokyo Metropolitan Ogawa High SchoolXingxingZHOUSchool of Foreign Languages, Shijiazhuang UniversityToshinoriKUWABARAFaculty of Education, Okayama University10.18926/CTED/68501 本研究は，日本と中国の高校生が地球規模の国際的課題について考えを共有するために，手紙を交換する学習活動を通して相互理解を深め，国際社会の一員としての自覚を持つようになることを目指した授業の開発・実践の成果を報告するものである。実践を通して，交流活動は生徒にとって次のような意義があることが明らかになった。第ーは，外国人との初めての一対一の交流であったということである。直接会わない形であったとしても，今回の授業を受けた多くの生徒にとっては他の国の人と関わる初めての経験であった。第二は，他国の文化や学校への関心を持つきっかけとなったことである。第三は，気候変動問題に対してグローバルな視点で考えるきっかけを与えられたということである。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323152025ASD 児における相互伝達行為の獲得を目指した遊びを中心としたコミュニケーション指導 ポジティブな情動の共有を生み出す遊びの環境設定を通して281295ENKeisukeKAKUHARATobi Special SchoolMarinaBANSpecial School Affiliated with the Faculty of Education at Okayama UniversityTakayukiTANJIInstitute of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba10.18926/CTED/68497 自閉スペクトラム症児は，相互伝達行為の獲得に遅れがあることが指摘されている。本研究では，自閉スペクトラム症の診断のある知的障害特別支援学校小学部１年生男児を対象に，相互伝達行為の獲得を目指して，遊びを中心とした指導を行った。その結果，対象児の遊びが「感覚運動的遊び」「機能的遊び」から「象徴的遊び」「社会的遊び」へと移行するに伴い，相互伝達行為が見られるようになった。また，教師による働き掛けへの応答も見られるようになり，ポジティブな情動の共有が生み出されやすい遊びの環境設定が，相互伝達行為の獲得において効果的であったことが示唆された。遊び環境については，1）魅力的な玩具，2）魅力的な玩具を介した教師との遊び，3）対象児の遊びの発達段階に応じた介入，4）情動の共有を促す共感的関わりの４点が相互伝達行為の獲得を促した可能性が考えられた。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323152025地域社会とグローバルをつなぐ和楽器音楽次世代育成の実践研究（１） 「おかやま国際和楽器学生フェスティバル」外的評価の分析235249ENRinkoHAYAKAWAOkayama UniversityMihoYAMAJIKoto PlayerHiromiTAKASUOkayama UniversityYukoBEPPUKurashiki City CollegeAkiHIGUCHIOkayama Prefectural School for the DeafAiNAKAMURADoctoral Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationNaokoSHIMIZUDoctoral Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationYokoHANAKUSAResearch Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationNorikoTAKESHITAResearch Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher EducationKeikoMIYOSHIMaster’s Student at the Graduate School of Education in Okayama UniversityChihiroTOSAMaster’s Student at the Graduate School of Education in Okayama University10.18926/CTED/68494 本稿では，「和楽器音楽及び教育の拠点づくりの実践研究」の一環として開催した「おかやま国際和楽器学生フェスティバル」の取り組みについて，その概要を報告するとともに，外的評価として「おかやま国際和楽器学生フェスティバルコンサート」終演後に実施した一般来場者対象の質問紙調査及びフェスティバルを参観した岡山県内の学校関係者対象の質問紙調査を取り上げ，意義と課題について検討した。<br>
その結果，第一に音楽を通じた世代間や国際交流の喜びを感じ，和楽器の伝承と教育の重要性を強く意識する機会となったこと，第二に，和楽器が様々な国籍・年齢の学生に受容されていることを，来場者が客観視することで，自文化の価値の再認識につながったこと，第三に，フェスティバル全体としては，ワークショップが充実しており，様々な国籍・年齢の学生が同じステージで演奏する姿に対する評価が得られた点が明らかとなった。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323152025契約概念に注目した小学校社会科法教育の授業構成 ―第３学年の生産や販売に関する単元の開発を通して―207218ENAyuhaMIYAMOTOGraduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Okayama UniversityToshinoriKUWABARAFaculty of Education, Okayama University10.18926/CTED/68492 本論文は、小学校社会科における市民性教育としての法教育のあり方を検討し、その授業構成原理を明らかにしたうえで、中学年の教育内容である販売の仕事に関する単元開発を行うものである。これまで小学校法教育では、発達心理学の論を基にしながら研究が進められてきたが、小学校社会科法教育としての体系的な研究は十分ではなかった。小学校第３学年の社会科では、第３学年「地域にみられる生産や販売の仕事について」の内容が設定されている。佐藤はスーパーマーケットを教材として小学校社会科で経済概念を形成する授業を開発し、その有効性を検証した。一方で、販売には売買契約のような法的問題も発生する。本論文では、これまでの社会科教育研究において蓄積されてきた法教育論や価値観形成論の成果を踏まえ、スーパーマーケットを教材とした小学校社会科単元開発を行う。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教師教育開発センターActa Medica Okayama2186-1323152025大学教養教育における創造性を重視した探究型授業の評価 岡山大学教養教育科目「生活の中の創造性」の実践結果の分析V107118ENYokoSHINOHARAFaculty of Education, Okayama UniversityYoshihikoINADAFaculty of Education, Okayama University10.18926/CTED/68485 2022年より教養教育科目「現代と社会」において，「色」を主題にして「岡大グッズ」の提案を行う探究型授業「生活の中の創造性」を開講している。授業前後のアンケートによると，学生は「自分にとって創造性は重要」と捉え，「他者とコミュニケーションを取りながら創造的な活動をすることに興味」があり，授業後は「自分のことを創造的である」と肯定的な評価となっていた。この授業は「主体的，対話的に考え，感じ，判断する自分自身の存在を意識すること」を促す効果が大きいことが分かった。この３年間の実践は，主軸となるテーマと探究活動の内容が大学生の探究的な学びに適したものであったと考えている。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231612025Keratinocyte-driven dermal collagen formation in the axolotl skin1757ENAyakaOhashiGraduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHirotakaSakamotoGraduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityJunpeiKurodaGraduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka UniversityYoheiKondoCenter for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research (COMIT), Nagoya UniversityYasuhiroKameiLaboratory for Biothermology, National Institute for Basic BiologyShigenoriNonakaThe Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)SayaFurukawaGraduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySakiyaYamamotoGraduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityAkiraSatohGraduate School of Environment, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityType I collagen is a major component of the dermis and is formed by dermal fibroblasts. The development of dermal collagen structures has not been fully elucidated despite the major presence and importance of the dermis. This lack of understanding is due in part to the opacity of mammalian skin and it has been an obstacle to cosmetic and medical developments. We reveal the process of dermal collagen formation using the highly transparent skin of the axolotl and fluorescent collagen probes. We clarify that epidermal cells, not dermal fibroblasts, contribute to dermal collagen formation. Mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts) play a role in modifying the collagen fibers already built by keratinocytes. We confirm that collagen production by keratinocytes is a widely conserved mechanism in other model organisms. Our findings warrant a change in the current consensus about dermal collagen formation and could lead to innovations in cosmetology and skin medication.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama0006-291X7522025Discovery of myeloid zinc finger (MZF) 1 nuclear bodies151481ENTakanoriEguchiDepartment of Dental Pharmacology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesStuart K.CalderwoodDivision of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolMyeloid zinc finger 1 (MZF1) is a multifaceted transcription factor that can act either as a transcriptional activator or a gene repressor. We examined its production of nuclear bodies (NBs) and subcellular localization. Proteomic and protein–protein interaction analysis were used to identify its cofactors and interactions. These revealed the presence of MZF1-NBs (intranuclear oligomers containing MZF1). MZF-NBs are similar to some other nuclear bodies, notably promyelocytic leukemia (PML) -NBs in terms of size and morphology. However the two structures appear to be different. MZF-NBs and PML-NBs were found to associate in the nucleus. Both MZF1 and PML are SUMO1-SUMOylated in PC-3 cells. Sumoylated MZF1 can interact with proteins containing SUMO-interaction motifs (SIM) through SUMO-SIM interaction. Interactome analysis revealed that its NBs participate in the stress response (TPR and UBAP2L), protein folding (CALR and ANKRD40), transcription, post-translational modification (TRIM33, ACOT7, CAMK2D, and CAMK2G), and RNA binding (ALURBP and CPSF5).
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育推進機構Acta Medica Okayama1881-595222025成均館・吉林大学交流プログラム【オンライン】実践報告4970ENYukoFUJIWARAInstitute for Promotion of Education and Campus Life, Okayama UniversitySetsukoAKITAInstitute for Promotion of Education and Campus Life, Okayama UniversityTomomiISHIIInstitute for Promotion of Education and Campus Life, Okayama UniversityMihoSATOInstitute for Promotion of Education and Campus Life, Okayama University10.18926/68453岡山大学教育推進機構初修外国語系が毎年２月にオンラインで実施している「成均館・吉
林大学交流プログラム」は、日中韓三ヵ国の大学の学生が、日本語を共通言語として、複
数の文化・言語、学習言語と母語の違いなどを包摂した場で生じるコミュニケーション上
の問題を解決しながら、様々な話題のディスカッションやプレゼンテーションを行なう。
本実践報告は、このプログラムの趣旨と成果、また実践に当たっての様々な課題とそれに
対する取り組みについて報告し、コロナ後の国際交流の一つのモデルとなることを期待す
るものである。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学教育推進機構Acta Medica Okayama1881-595222025日本への留学を促進する要因に関する研究 −東南アジアからの留学生を事例として−1332ENTakaoINAMORIInstitute of Global Human Resource Development, Okayama University10.18926/68451 本研究では、東南アジアから留学している留学生15人を対象として「なぜ日本に留学したのか？」、半構造化インタビューにより情報を収集した。その結果、(i) 留学生の日本に対するイメージ、(ii) 保護者の日本に対するイメージ、(iii) 奨学金の機会、(iv) 私費留学が可能な学費・生活費レベル、(v) 出身国コミュニティーの有無、が重要であることが分かった。これらの情報やイメージの一部は、(1) 留学先での満足度、(2) 日本人との交流機会、(3) 生活のしやすさ、(4) 留学生の日本語レベル、(5) 日本文化に対する理解等によって形成され、ロコミやインターネットを通じて強化されることが推測された。よって、上記の項目に着目し、留学生の満足度等を向上させるための環境づくりを支援していくことが、日本留学に対するプラスのイメージを作り、東南アジアからの留学生増につながっていくと考えられた。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-734561252025Recent development of azahelicenes showing circularly polarized luminescence47574773ENChihiroMaedaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTadashiEmaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityRecently, a variety of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) dyes have been developed as next-generation chiroptical materials. Helicenes, ortho-fused aromatics, have been recognized as some of the most promising CPL dyes. Although typical carbohelicenes show CPL, weak fluorescence is often emitted in the blue region. In contrast, heteroatom-embedded helicenes (heterohelicenes) can show intense fluorescence and CPL in the visible region because heteroatoms alter the electronic states of helicene frameworks. Among various heterohelicenes, nitrogen-embedded helicenes (azahelicenes) have unique features such as facile functionalization and sensitive responses to acid/base or metal ions. Furthermore, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing azaborine units have been recognized as excellent luminescent materials, and the helical derivatives, B,N-embedded helicenes, have been rapidly growing recently. In this feature article, we review and summarize the synthesis and chiroptical properties of azahelicenes, which are classified into imine-type and amine-type azahelicenes and B,N-embedded helicenes. CPL switching systems of azahelicenes are also reviewed.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学大学院教育学研究科Acta Medica Okayama1883-24231882025地域社会とグローバルをつなぐ和楽器音楽次世代育成の実践研究（２）― 国際文化交流における「異文化間能力」育成の可能性 ―4756ENRinkoHAYAKAWAFaculty of Education, Okayama UniversityHiromiTAKASUFaculty of Education, Okayama UniversityNaokoSHIMIZUDoctoral Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher Education (Okayama University)MihoYAMAJIKoto PlayerYukoBEPPUDepartment of Early Childhood Education and Care, Kurashiki City CollegeAkiHIGUCHIOkayama Prefectural School for the DeafAiNAKAMURADoctoral Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher Education (Okayama University)KeikoMIYOSHIMaster’s Student at the Graduate School of Education in Okayama UniversityChihiroTOSAMaster’s Student at the Graduate School of Education in Okayama UniversityYokoHANAKUSAResearch Student at the Joint Graduate School in Science of School Education Hyogo University of Teacher Education (Okayama University)NorikoTAKESHITABiwako-Gakuin University10.18926/bgeou/68413 本研究は，地域社会とグローバルをつなぐ和楽器音楽次世代育成の実践研究の一環として実施した「おかやま国際和楽器学生フェスティバル」について，「異文化間能力」育成の視点からその可能性について検討したものである。<br>
国内の学生については，@和楽器を介した繋がり／音楽的な協働，A演奏の質に関する違いの認識，B 海外の和楽器演奏者に対する認識の３点が，海外の学生については，@表現スタイルや技術に関する違いの認識，A和楽器音楽の本質の理解，B演奏者としての学びと成長に対する意識の３点が，特徴として示された。「異文化間能力」の視点からは，国内外共に「文化的多様性」と「絶対的正統性の緩和」についての認識が認められ，柔軟で且つ寛容な和楽器との向き合い方が形成されていたことが明らかとなった。また「共感・協働のスキル」については，特に国内の学生に多く認められる結果となった。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2078-24891622025Implementation of Sensor Input Setup Assistance Service Using Generative AI for SEMAR IoT Application Server Platform108ENI. Nyoman DarmaKotamaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYohanes Yohanie FridelinPandumanGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKomang CandraBrataGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityAnak Agung SuryaPradhanaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNopriantoGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityI. Gusti Made NgurahDesnanjayaDepartment of Computer System Engineering, Institute of Business and Technology IndonesiaFor rapid deployments of various IoT application systems, we have developed Smart Environmental Monitoring and Analytical in Real-Time (SEMAR) as an integrated server platform. It is equipped with rich functions for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing various data. Unfortunately, the proper configuration of SEMAR with a variety of IoT devices can be complex and challenging for novice users, since it often requires technical expertise. The assistance of Generative AI can be helpful to solve this drawback. In this paper, we present an implementation of a sensor input setup assistance service for SEMAR using prompt engineering techniques and Generative AI. A user needs to define the requirement specifications and environments of the IoT application system for sensor inputs, and give them to the service. Then, the service provides step-by-step guidance on sensor connections, communicating board configurations, network connections, and communication protocols to the user, which can help the user easily set up the configuration to connect the relevant devices to SEMAR. For evaluations, we applied the proposal to the input sensor setup processes of three practical IoT application systems with SEMAR, namely, a smart light, water heater, and room temperature monitoring system. In addition, we applied it to the setup process of an IoT application system for a course for undergraduate students at the Insitut Bisnis dan Teknologi (INSTIKI), Indonesia. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed service for SEMAR.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2224-27081412024Enhancing Campus Environment: Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring Through IoT and Web Technologies2ENAlfiandi AuliaRahmadaniDepartment of Electrical Engineering, State Polytechnic of MalangYan WatequlisSyaifudinDepartment of Information Technology, State Polytechnic of MalangBudhySetiawanDepartment of Electrical Engineering, State Polytechnic of MalangYohanes Yohanie FridelinPandumanDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNowadays, enhancing campus environments through mitigations of air pollutions is an essential endeavor to support academic achievements, health, and safety of students and staffs in higher educational institutes. In laboratories, pollutants from welding, auto repairs, or chemical experiments can drastically degrade the air quality in the campus, endangering the respiratory and cognitive health of students and staffs. Besides, in universities in Indonesia, automobile emissions of harmful substances such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and hydrocarbon (HC) have been a serious problem for a long time. Almost everybody is using a motorbike or a car every day in daily life, while the number of students is continuously increasing. However, people in many campuses including managements do not be aware these problems, since air quality is not monitored. In this paper, we present a real-time air quality monitoring system utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) integrated sensors capable of detecting pollutants and measuring environmental conditions to visualize them. By transmitting data to the SEMAR IoT application server platform via an ESP32 microcontroller, this system provides instant alerts through a web application and Telegram notifications when pollutant levels exceed safe thresholds. For evaluations of the proposed system, we adopted three sensors to measure the levels of CO, NO2, and HC and conducted experiments in three sites, namely, Mechatronics Laboratory, Power and Emission Laboratory, and Parking Lot, at the State Polytechnic of Malang, Indonesia. Then, the results reveal Good, Unhealthy, and Dangerous for them, respectively, among the five categories defined by the Indonesian government. The system highlighted its ability to monitor air quality fluctuations, trigger warnings of hazardous conditions, and inform the campus community. The correlation of the sensor levels can identify the relationship of each pollutant, which provides insight into the characteristics of pollutants in a particular scenario.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-734561242025Nano/microparticle-based tough and recyclable polymers toward a sustainable society46064620ENYumaSasakiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYuichiroNishizawaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTakumaKurehaDepartment of Frontier Materials Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki UniversityDaisukeSuzukiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityBy virtue of their unique properties, polymer nano/microparticles constitute important building blocks for the construction of functional nanomaterials. Although intense research efforts in this field have laid the foundation for the applications of polymer nano/microparticle-based latex films, cutting-edge innovations in the recycling of polymer materials are still required for the realization of a sustainable society. This feature article reviews our recent attempts to develop the applications of polymer nano/microparticles in the context of a circular society on the basis of the precise synthesis of single nano/microparticles and multiscale structural analysis.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7912025A Rare Case of Compression Neuritis due to Intraorbital Arteriovenous Fistula (IOAVF) Mimicking Retrobulbar Optic Neuritis5964ENShunMinakawaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji HospitalMasayukiHiranoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji HospitalKazuyaTakahashiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji HospitalYutaImamuraDepartment of Ophthalmology, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji HospitalTakashiWatanabeDepartment of Ophthalmology, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji HospitalCase Report10.18926/AMO/68363Intraorbital arteriovenous fistulas (IOAVFs) are rare vascular abnormalities. We describe a case of an IOAVF featuring a direct shunt between the accessory meningeal artery and the superior ophthalmic artery. A 55-year-old woman presented with a 1-month history of visual impairment in her right eye, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed optic neuritis-like findings. Steroid pulse therapy temporarily resolved visual impairment. However, 1 month later, she experienced decreased visual acuity, ocular conjunctival hyperemia, edema, and a pulsatile murmur. Contrast-enhanced MRI and digital subtraction angiography revealed compression optic neuropathy due to an IOAVF. Following successful treatment with transarterial embolization, her symptoms disappeared.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7912025Prediction of Prostate Cancer Grades Using Radiomic Features2130ENYasuhiroYamamotoDepartment of Radiology, Houshasen Daiichi HospitalTakafumiHaraguchiDepartment of Advanced Biomedical Imaging and Informatics, St. Marianna University School of MedicineKaoriMatsudaDepartment of Radiology, Houshasen Daiichi HospitalYoshioOkazakiDepartment of Radiology, Houshasen Daiichi HospitalShinKimotoDepartment of Radiology, Houshasen Daiichi HospitalNozomuTanjiDepartment of Urology, Houshasen Daiichi HospitalAtsushiMatsumotoDepartment of Urology, Houshasen Daiichi HospitalYasuyukiKobayashiDepartment of Medical Information and Communication Technology Research, St. Marianna University School of MedicineHidefumiMimuraDepartment of Radiology, St. Marianna University School of MedicineTakaoHirakiDepartment of Radiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/68355We developed a machine learning model for predicting prostate cancer (PCa) grades using radiomic features of magnetic resonance imaging. 112 patients diagnosed with PCa based on prostate biopsy between January 2014 and December 2021 were evaluated. Logistic regression was used to construct two prediction models, one using radiomic features and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values (Radiomics model) and the other Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) scores and PSA values (PI-RADS model), to differentiate high-grade (Gleason score [GS] ≥ 8) from intermediate or low-grade (GS < 8) PCa. Five imaging features were selected for the Radiomics model using the Gini coefficient. Model performance was evaluated using AUC, sensitivity, and specificity. The models were compared by leave-one-out cross-validation with Ridge regularization. Furthermore, the Radiomics model was evaluated using the holdout method and represented by a nomogram. The AUC of the Radiomics and PI-RADS models differed significantly (0.799, 95% CI: 0.712-0.869; and 0.710, 95% CI: 0.617-0.792, respectively). Using holdout method, the Radiomics model yielded AUC of 0.778 (95% CI: 0.552-0.925), sensitivity of 0.769, and specificity of 0.778. It outperformed the PI-RADS model and could be useful in predicting PCa grades, potentially aiding in determining appropriate treatment approaches in PCa patients.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7912025Endothelial Cell Polarity in Health and Disease17ENMoeThihaDepartment of Pathophysiology and Drug Discovery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakaoHikitaDepartment of Pathophysiology and Drug Discovery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasanoriNakayamaDepartment of Pathophysiology and Drug Discovery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesReview10.18926/AMO/68353Endothelial cell polarity is fundamental to the organization and function of blood vessels, influencing processes such as angiogenesis, vascular stability, and response to shear stress. This review elaborates on the molecular mechanisms that regulate endothelial cell polarity, focusing on key players like the PAR polarity complex and Rho family GTPases. These pathways coordinate the front–rear, apical–basal and planar polarity of endothelial cells, which are essential for the proper formation and maintenance of vascular structures. In health, endothelial polarity ensures not only the orderly development of blood vessels, with tip cells adopting distinct polarities during angiogenesis, but also ensures proper vascular integrity and function. In disease states, however, disruptions in polarity contribute to pathologies such as coronary artery disease, where altered planar polarity exacerbates atherosclerosis, and cancer, where disrupted polarity in tumor vasculature leads to abnormal vessel growth and function. Understanding cell polarity and its disruption is fundamental not only to comprehending how cells interact with their microenvironment and organize themselves into complex, organ-specific tissues but also to developing novel, targeted, and therapeutic strategies for a range of diseases, from cardiovascular disorders to malignancies, ultimately improving patient outcomes.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2073-431X1412025An Investigation of Hand Gestures for Controlling Video Games in a Rehabilitation Exergame System25ENRadhiatulHusnaDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKomang CandraBrataDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityIrin TriAnggrainiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityAlfiandi AuliaRahmadaniDepartment of Electrical Engineering, State Polytechnic of MalangChih-PengFanDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Chung Hsing UniversityMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can significantly impact individuals' quality of life (QoL), often requiring effective rehabilitation strategies to promote recovery. However, traditional rehabilitation methods can be expensive and may lack engagement, leading to poor adherence to therapy exercise routines. An exergame system can be a solution to this problem. In this paper, we investigate appropriate hand gestures for controlling video games in a rehabilitation exergame system. The Mediapipe Python library is adopted for the real-time recognition of gestures. We choose 10 easy gestures among 32 possible simple gestures. Then, we specify and compare the best and the second-best groups used to control the game. Comprehensive experiments are conducted with 16 students at Andalas University, Indonesia, to find appropriate gestures and evaluate user experiences of the system using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ). The results show that the hand gestures in the best group are more accessible than in the second-best group. The results suggest appropriate hand gestures for game controls and confirm the proposal's validity. In future work, we plan to enhance the exergame system by integrating a diverse set of video games, while expanding its application to a broader and more diverse sample. We will also study other practical applications of the hand gesture control function.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPI AGActa Medica Okayama2079-92921422025A Proposal of In Situ Authoring Tool with Visual-Inertial Sensor Fusion for Outdoor Location-Based Augmented Reality342ENKomang CandraBrata Department of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabiki Department of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityYohanes Yohanie FridelinPanduman Department of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityMustikaMentari Department of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityYan WatequlisSyaifudin Department of Information Technology, Politeknik Negeri MalangAlfiandi AuliaRahmadani Department of Information Technology, Politeknik Negeri MalangIn location-based augmented reality (LAR) applications, a simple and effective authoring tool is essential to create immersive AR experiences in real-world contexts. Unfortunately, most of the current tools are primarily desktop-based, requiring manual location acquisitions, the use of software development kits (SDKs), and high programming skills, which poses significant challenges for novice developers and a lack of precise LAR content alignment. In this paper, we propose an intuitive in situ authoring tool with visual-inertial sensor fusions to simplify the LAR content creation and storing process directly using a smartphone at the point of interest (POI) location. The tool localizes the user’s position using smartphone sensors and maps it with the captured smartphone movement and the surrounding environment data in real-time. Thus, the AR developer can place a virtual object on-site intuitively without complex programming. By leveraging the combined capabilities of Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping(VSLAM) and Google Street View (GSV), it enhances localization and mapping accuracy during AR object creation. For evaluations, we conducted extensive user testing with 15 participants, assessing the task success rate and completion time of the tool in practical pedestrian navigation scenarios. The Handheld Augmented Reality Usability Scale (HARUS) was used to evaluate overall user satisfaction. The results showed that all the participants successfully completed the tasks, taking 16.76 s on average to create one AR object in a 50 m radius area, while common desktop-based methods in the literature need 1–8 min on average, depending on the user’s expertise. Usability scores reached 89.44 for manipulability and 85.14 for comprehensibility, demonstrating the high effectiveness in simplifying the outdoor LAR content creation process.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama1618-954X2024The perception of plastic waste and composition of boathouse waste in floating villages on Tonlé Sap Lake, CambodiaENHabuerEnvironmental Management Course, Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Management Program, School of Engineering, Okayama UniversityTakeshiFujiwaraEnvironmental Management Course, Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Management Program, School of Engineering, Okayama UniversitySpoannVinDepartment of Economic Development, Faculty of Development Studies, Royal University of Phnom PenhPhatChandaraDepartment of Natural Resource Management and Development, Faculty of Development Studies, Royal University of Phnom PenhMakotoTsukijiEnvironmental Management Course, Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Management Program, School of Engineering, Okayama UniversityVillagers living on Tonlé Sap (TS) Lake have low incomes and no access to basic public services, such as waste management, domestic water, electricity, and health care. Knowledge of the villagers’ perceptions and the composition of the waste from their boathouses will contribute to constructing a waste collection system with community participation within the framework of waste prevention and reduction. This study surveyed residents living in boathouses in four floating villages on TS Lake, Cambodia, regarding their perceptions and boathouse waste composition to assess the status of plastic waste and the villagers’ environmental awareness and their willingness to participate in waste collection. The household waste survey sought to clarify the amount of plastic waste and other recyclable waste discharged from floating houses. The perception survey revealed that in the wet season, 36% of respondents disposed of plastic waste by open burning/dumping and 40% by discharge into TS Lake; in the dry season, 76% disposed of waste by open burning/dumping, and only 4% discharged waste into TS Lake. An analysis of the boathouse plastic waste composition showed that residents of the floating villages generated 40.21 g plastic waste/day/capita, which was much lower than 340 g/day/capita in the USA, 120 g/day/capita in China, and even 70 g/day/capita in Cambodian on average, but higher than the 10 g/day/capita in India. This study proposes a novel and valuable framework to estimate and determine the level of awareness of people in floating villages related to plastic pollution effects and waste components from boathouses. At the same time, the research results provide an essential scientific basis to be able to develop an effective waste collection system in the area of TS Lake. The proposed framework of this study will help the policy decision-makers in the TS Lake area and those in similar geographical regions facing similar problems.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama0378-11199412025Identification of pennaceous barbule cell factor (PBCF), a novel gene with spatiotemporal expression in barbule cells during feather development149244ENMinoriNakaokaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHibikiFukuchiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMahoOgoshiGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySayakaAizawaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySakaeTakeuchiGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityBird contour feathers exhibit a complex hierarchical structure composed of a rachis, barbs, and barbules, with barbules playing a crucial role in maintaining feather structure and function. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying barbule formation is essential for advancing our knowledge of avian biology and evolution. In this study, we identified a novel gene, pennaceous barbule cell factor (PBCF), using microarray analysis, RT-PCR, and in situ hybridization. PBCF is expressed in barbule cells adjacent to the ramus during pennaceous barbule formation, where these cells fuse with the ramus to establish the feather’s branching structure. PBCF expression occurs transiently after melanin pigmentation of the barbule plates but before the expression of barbule-specific keratin 1 (BlSK1). Orthologues of PBCF, predicted to be secreted proteins, are conserved across avian species, with potential homologues detected in reptiles, suggesting an evolutionary lineage-specific adaptation. Additionally, PBCF is expressed in non-vacuolated notochord cells and the extra-embryonic ectoderm of the yolk sac, hinting at its broader developmental significance. The PBCF gene produces two mRNA isoforms via alternative splicing, encoding a secreted protein and a glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane-bound protein, indicating functional versatility. These findings suggest that PBCF may be involved as an avian-specific extracellular matrix component in cell adhesion and/or communication, potentially contributing to both feather development and embryogenesis. Further investigation of PBCF’s role in feather evolution and its potential functions in other vertebrates could provide new insights into the interplay between development and evolution.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama0006-291X7412024S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine metabolism is involved in the sperm motility and in vitro fertility rate in mouse151006ENTomokoKawaiDepartment of Cellular Physiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAtsushiFujimuraDepartment of Cellular Physiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesIncreased fragmentation of sperm DNA has been implicated in male infertility. Folate deficiency results in impaired methionine synthesis, depletion of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) levels, an increase in S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (SAH) levels, and increased DNA fragmentation. Disruption of the dynamic balance between SAM and SAH may also contribute, although the details of this process are not yet fully understood. We investigated the localization of SAM, SAH, and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH), and whether SAM/SAH metabolism contributes to sperm motility and fertilization rate. SAM, SAH, and SAHH levels were assessed in the acrosome, midpiece, and tail of spermatozoa. Chemical inhibition of SAM/SAH metabolism and extracellular SAH significantly decreased the straight-line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), and amplitude lateral head displacement (ALH) of sperm cells, which were thus unable to swim forward and perform oscillatory movements in place. This significantly reduced the fertilization rate. Therefore, the disruption of the SAM/SAH balance may contribute to male infertility.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.BMCActa Medica Okayama1472-69202512025Effectiveness of professional-identity-formation and clinical communication-skills programs on medical students' empathy in the COVID-19 context: comparison between pre-pandemic in-person classes and during-pandemic online classes39ENHitomiKataokaCenter for Diversity and Inclusion, Okayama University HospitalAkikoTokinobuCenter for Diversity and Inclusion, Okayama University HospitalChikakoFujiiCenter for Diversity and Inclusion, Okayama University HospitalMayuWatanabeDivision of Kidney, Diabetes and Endocrine Diseases, Okayama University HospitalMikakoObikaDepartment of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityBackground Enhancing students' empathy is critical in medical school education. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift from in-person to online classes. However, the effectiveness of online classes for enhancing medical students' empathy has not been investigated sufficiently and the evidence is limited. This study compared the effectiveness of enhancing empathy between pre-pandemic in-person classes and during-pandemic online classes among medical students in Japan using pre-pandemic and during-pandemic data.<br>
Methods This is a retrospective observational study. This study measured students' empathy using the Japanese translation of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student Version (JSE-S) before and after the special programs for professional identity formation and clinical communication among first- and second-year students who matriculated from 2015-2021. This study categorized the matriculation year groups as "pre-pandemic" and "during-pandemic" groups for the first- and second-year students. This study estimated the adjusted mean score differences of the JSE-S and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from the pre- to post-program between the pre-pandemic and during-pandemic groups in the first and second years using linear regression analysis.<br>
Results This study's participants included 653 first-year students and 562 second-year students. In the first year, the during-pandemic group had a significantly higher mean score difference from the pre- to post-program compared to the pre-pandemic group. The adjusted regression coefficient (95% CI) was 7.6 (5.7 - 9.5), with the pre-pandemic group as the reference. In the second year, there were no significant differences between the two groups.<br>
Conclusions The results suggest that online classes are not inferior to in-person classes or even slightly better in enhancing medical students' empathy, which should be clarified by further studies. This study's findings have important implications for medical education and implementing hybrid class formats to enhance students' empathy.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)Acta Medica Okayama1745-1345E108-B12024Overloaded MIMO Spatial Multiplexing Independent of Antenna Setups113ENSatoshiDennoFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTakumiSugimotoGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKokiMatobaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYafeiHouFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityThis paper proposes overloaded MIMO spatial multiplexing that can increase the number of spatially multiplexed signal streams despite of the number of antennas on a terminal and that on a receiver. We propose extension of the channel matrix for the spatial multiplexing to achieve the superb multiplexing performance. Precoding based on the extended channel matrix plays a crucial role in carrying out such spatial multiplexing. We consider three types of QR-decomposition techniques for the proposed spatial multiplexing to improve the transmission performance. The transmission performance of the proposed spatial multiplexing is evaluated by computer simulation. The simulation reveals that the proposed overloaded MIMO spatial multiplexing can implement 6 stream-spatial multiplexing in a 2×2 MIMO system, i.e., the overloading ratio of 3.0. The superior transmission performance is achieved by the proposed overloaded MIMO spatial multiplexing with one of the QR-decomposition techniques.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2079-929213242024An Implementation of Web-Based Answer Platform in the Flutter Programming Learning Assistant System Using Docker Compose4878ENLynn HtetAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversitySoe ThandarAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityHtoo Htoo SandiKyawDepartment of Computer and Information Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyWen-ChungKaoDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan Normal UniversityProgramming has gained significant importance worldwide as societies increasingly rely on computer application systems. To support novices in learning various programming languages, we have developed the Programming Learning Assistant System (PLAS). It offers several types of exercise problems with different learning goals and levels for step-by-step self-study. As a personal answer platform in PLAS, we have implemented a web application using Node.js and EJS for Java and Python programming. Recently, the Flutter framework with Dart programming has become popular, enabling developers to build applications for mobile, web, and desktop environments from a single codebase. Thus, we have extended PLAS by implementing the Flutter environment with Visual Studio Code to support it. Additionally, we have developed an image-based user interface (UI) testing tool to verify student source code by comparing its generated UI image with the standard one using the ORB and SIFT algorithms in OpenCV. For efficient distribution to students, we have generated Docker images of the answer platform, Flutter environment, and image-based UI testing tool. In this paper, we present the implementation of a web-based answer platform for the Flutter Programming Learning Assistant System (FPLAS) by integrating three Docker images using Docker Compose. Additionally, to capture UI images automatically, an Nginx web application server is adopted with its Docker image. For evaluations, we asked 10 graduate students at Okayama University, Japan, to install the answer platform on their PCs and solve five exercise problems. All the students successfully completed the problems, which confirms the validity and effectiveness of the proposed system.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2078-248915122024A Yoga Pose Difficulty Level Estimation Method Using OpenPose for Self-Practice System to Yoga Beginners789ENCheng-LiangShihDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Chung Hsing UniversityJun-YouLiuDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Chung Hsing UniversityIrin TriAnggrainiDepartment of Electrical and Communication Engineering, Okayama UniversityYanqiXiaoDepartment of Electrical and Communication Engineering, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Electrical and Communication Engineering, Okayama UniversityChih-PengFanDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Chung Hsing UniversityYoga is an exercise preferable for various users at different ages to enhance physical and mental health. To help beginner yoga self-practitioners avoid getting injured by selecting difficult yoga poses, the information of the difficulty level of yoga poses is very important to provide an objective metric to assist yoga self-practitioners in selecting appropriate exercises on the basis of their skill level by using the yoga self-practice system. To enhance the developed yoga self-practice system, the yoga difficulty level estimation function will enable users to clearly understand whether the selected yoga poses are suitable for them. In this paper, the newest difficulty level estimation method of yoga poses is proposed by using and analyzing OpenPose two-dimensional (2D) human body keypoints. The proposed method effectively uses the selected six keypoints areas of the upper and lower body, body support types, center of gravity calculations, and body tilt angles and slopes to produce estimations. Firstly, the method calculates the weighted centers of the upper and lower human body for each pose by using keypoints. Secondly, it refers the slope of the centroid line between the two centers and infers the body's balance state. Lastly, the system estimates the difficulty level by additionally considering the keypoints of the body to contact the ground. For evaluations of the proposal, more than one hundred yoga poses are collected from the Internet and applied to classify them into five difficulty levels. Through comparisons with subjective levels from one instructor and 10 users, the validity of the estimation results is confirmed, a comparison is performed with existing designs, and it is implemented in embedded systems.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama0022-304216912024Exploring the Role of Ccn3 in Type III Cell of Mice Taste Budse16291ENKuanyuWangDepartment of Oral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYoshihiroMitohDepartment of Oral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKengoHorieDepartment of Oral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityRyusukeYoshidaDepartment of Oral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityDifferent taste cells express unique cell-type markers, enabling researchers to distinguish them and study their functional differentiation. Using single-cell RNA-Seq of taste cells in mouse fungiform papillae, we found that Cellular Communication Network Factor 3 (Ccn3) was highly expressed in Type III taste cells but not in Type II taste cells. Ccn3 is a protein-coding gene involved in various biological processes, such as cell proliferation, angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and wound healing. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore the expression and function of Ccn3 in mouse taste bud cells. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry (IHC), we confirmed that Ccn3 was predominantly expressed in Type III taste cells. Through IHC, quantitative real-time RT-PCR, gustatory nerve recordings, and short-term lick tests, we observed that Ccn3 knockout (Ccn3-KO) mice did not exhibit any significant differences in the expression of taste cell markers and taste responses compared to wild-type controls. To explore the function of Ccn3 in taste cells, bioinformatics analyses were conducted and predicted possible roles of Ccn3 in tissue regeneration, perception of pain, protein secretion, and immune response. Among them, an immune function is the most plausible based on our experimental results. In summary, our study indicates that although Ccn3 is strongly expressed in Type III taste cells, its knockout did not influence the basic taste response, but bioinformatics provided valuable insights into the possible role of Ccn3 in taste buds and shed light on future research directions.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.IARIAActa Medica Okayama1942-2644173-42024Deep Reinforcement Learning Enabled Adaptive Virtual Machine Migration Control in Multi-Stage Information Processing Systems116125ENYukinobuFukushimaFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology Okayama UniversityYukiKoujitaniGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology Okayama UniversityKazutoshiNakaneGraduate School of Information Science Nagoya UniversityYuyaTarutaniGraduate School of Engineering Osaka UniversityCelimugeWuGraduate School of Informatics and Engineering The Univ. of Electro-Commun.YushengJiInformation Systems Architecture Research Division National Institute of InformaticsTokumiYokohiraFaculty of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems Okayama UniversityTutomuMuraseGraduate School of Information Science Nagoya UniversityThis paper tackles a Virtual Machine (VM) migration control problem to maximize the progress (accuracy) of information processing tasks in multi-stage information processing systems. The conventional methods for this problem are effective only for specific situations, such as when the system load is high. In this paper, in order to adaptively achieve high accuracy in various situations, we propose a VM migration method using a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithm. It is difficult to directly apply a DRL algorithm to the VM migration control problem because the size of the solution space of the problem dynamically changes according to the number of VMs staying in the system while the size of the agent’s action space is fixed in DRL algorithms. To cope with this difficulty, the proposed method divides the VM migration control problem into two problems: the problem of determining only the VM distribution (i.e., the proportion of the number of VMs deployed on each edge server) and the problem of determining the locations of all the VMs so that it follows the determined VM distribution. The former problem is solved by a DRL algorithm, and the latter by a heuristic method. This approach makes it possible to apply a DRL algorithm to the VM migration control problem because the VM distribution is expressed by a vector with a fixed number of dimensions and can be directly outputted by the agent. The simulation results confirm that our proposed method can adaptively achieve quasi-optimal accuracy in various situations with different link delays, types of the information processing tasks and the number of VMs.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学文明動態学研究所Acta Medica Okayama2436-832642025古代越前国足羽郡の「郡的世界」寸考8090ENAtsunoriWATANABEChigasaki City Museum研究ノート (Research note)10.18926/67957 Often discussed in recent years, the term gun-teki sekai refers to the social conditions of a district. In ancient Japanese local communities, there existed complex webs of historical rule and intertwined relationships between local clans that date back to before the establishment of the Ritsuryō system. Gun-teki sekai is a term that refers to the reality of the control of the provincial and district systems, in which multiple powerful clans served as gunji , district governors under the Ritsuryō system. Each gunji organized smaller clans below them to carry out administrative duties based on such relationships. Recent research is beginning to reveal the multipolar structure of the gun-teki sekai .<br>
In this study, the author examines the gun-teki sekai through an analysis of the Asuwa district in Echizen province, which is rich in historical materials. As a result, the following four points became clear. First, it is highly likely that the powerful clans who served as district governors in the mid-Nara period were traditional clans with roots in the eastern part of the district. Second, the powerful clans who served as district deputy governors may have been an emerging power. Third, from an archaeological perspective, the eastern part of the district is the traditional area, while the dominance of the western part of the district developed after the establishment of the Ritsuryō system. Fourth, in terms of clan distribution, the clans who served as district governors were distributed over the widest area, followed by those who served as district deputy governors.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学文明動態学研究所Acta Medica Okayama2436-832642025『理科年表』の「地震年代表」をめぐって− 10 世紀まで−6479ENHidekiARAIHistorian研究ノート (Research note)10.18926/67956This paper is based on the oral report I gave on July 22, 2023, at the 21st “Disaster Culture and the History of Community Formation” workshop hosted by the Okayama University Research Institute for the Dynamics of Civilizations. I discuss the changes in the “Chronology of Earthquakes” contained within the Rika nenpyō (Chronological Scientific Tables) and some of the problems with them, citing historical earthquake materials. It is necessary to clearly distinguish between real and false earthquakes, such as the Tamba earthquake (701), the Kinai earthquake (734), the Minō earthquake (745), the Ecchū-Echigo earthquake (863), and the Kantō earthquake (878). The author hopes that the “Chronology of Earthquakes” will be published in a better form in the future and calls for efforts in the field of history to verify and introduce historical earthquake materials.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Oxford University Press (OUP)Acta Medica Okayama1460-22292023Effect of 2-week postpartum check-ups on screening positive for postpartum depression: a population-based cohort study using instrumental variable estimation in Japancmad074ENNaokoNakamuraDepartment of Epidemiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshiharuMitsuhashiCenter for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University HospitalYasukoNakashimaHealth Promotion Division, Tsuyama City Department of Children’s HealthNaomiMatsumotoDepartment of Epidemiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakashiYorifujiDepartment of Epidemiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesBackground: Postpartum depression is experienced by approximately 10% of women and affects the health and development of their children. Although it is recommended that all mothers have the opportunity for early detection and intervention for postpartum depression, it is unclear whether early postpartum check-ups help to reduce postpartum depression.<br>
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of 2-week postpartum check-ups on screening positive for postpartum depression in Japan.<br>
Methods: This was a population-based cohort study that used the administrative database of Tsuyama, Japan. Participants were women who received postpartum home visits from a public health nurse in Tsuyama during the fiscal years 2017–2019. Data were obtained on participant’s attendance at a 2-week postpartum check-up and their responses on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Owing to the initiation of a publicly funded postpartum check-up programme, participants were pseudo-randomly assigned to receive/not receive a 2-week postpartum check-up. We conducted instrumental variable estimation to assess the causal effects of the check-up on screening positive for postpartum depression.<br>
Results: The characteristics of the 1,382 participants did not differ by fiscal year of childbirth. We found a 6.7% (95% confidence interval 2.2–11.2) reduction in the prevalence of screening positive for postpartum depression as an effect of 2-week postpartum check-ups among women received 1-month postpartum home visits.<br>
Conclusion: The results suggest that 2-week postpartum check-ups are effective in reducing the prevalence of screening positive for postpartum depression among 1-month postpartum women. Despite some limitations, early postpartum care could reduce postpartum depression.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155813632024生成 AI139140ENMasahideKodaCo-learning Community Healthcare Re-innovation Office, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama1424-822024232024The Design and Implementation of Kerberos-Blockchain Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks Authentication Across Diverse Network Scenarios7428ENMayaRahayuGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMd. BiplobHossainGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySamsulHudaGreen Innovation Center, Okayama UniversityYutaKoderaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMd. ArshadAliFaculty of CSE, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityVehicular Ad-Hoc Networks (VANETs) play an essential role in the intelligent transportation era, furnishing users with essential roadway data to facilitate optimal route selection and mitigate the risk of accidents. However, the network exposure makes VANETs susceptible to cyber threats, making authentication crucial for ensuring security and integrity. Therefore, joining entity verification is essential to ensure the integrity and security of communication in VANETs. However, to authenticate the entities, authentication time should be minimized to guarantee fast and secure authentication procedures. We propose an authentication system for VANETs using blockchain and Kerberos for storing authentication messages in a blockchain ledger accessible to Trusted Authentication Servers (TASs) and Roadside Units (RSUs). We evaluate the system in three diverse network scenarios: suburban, urban with 1 TAS, and urban with 2 TASs. The findings reveal that this proposal is applicable in diverse network scenarios to fulfill the network requirements, including authentication, handover, and end-to-end delay, considering an additional TAS for an increasing number of vehicles. The system is also practicable in storing the authentication message in blockchain considering the gas values and memory size for all scenarios.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7862024Partial versus Radical Nephrectomy for Small Renal Cancer: Comparative Propensity Score-Matching Analysis of Cardiovascular Event Risk429437ENRisaKubotaDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKensukeBekkuDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSatoshiKatayamaDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakehiroIwataDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShingoNishimuraDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKoheiEdamuraDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTomokoKobayashiDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYasuyukiKobayashiDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMotooArakiDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/67868Although partial nephrectomy (PN) is preferred over radical nephrectomy (RN) for preserving renal function in patients with cT1 renal cancer, its impact on cardiovascular events (CVe) remains controversial. This study aimed to compare PN and RN in regard to the occurrence of CVe, including cerebrovascular events and exacerbation of hypertension (HT). We retrospectively analyzed 418 consecutive patients who underwent PN or RN for cT1 renal cancer. Propensity score-matching analysis was used to adjust for imbalances between patients who underwent PN and RN, leaving 102 patients in each group. The 5-year probability of cumulative CVe incidence was 6% in the PN group and 12% in the RN group (p=0.03), with a median follow-up of 73.5 months. The statistical significance was retained after propensity score matching for patients without preoperative proteinuria (p=0.03). For all CVe including cerebrovascular events and exacerbation of HT analyzed, PN provided a lower probability of occurrence than RN in patients with small renal cancers.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-73456112025Terpolymerization reactions of epoxides, CO2, and the third monomers toward sustainable CO2-based polymers with controllable chemical and physical properties4660ENKoichiNakaokaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTadashiEmaDivision of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityCarbon dioxide (CO2) serves as a cheap, abundant, and renewable C1 building block for the synthesis of organic compounds and polymers. Selective and efficient CO2 fixation processes are still challenging because of the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of CO2. Among various CO2 fixation processes, the ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of epoxides and CO2 gives aliphatic polycarbonates with high atom economy, although the chemical and physical properties of the resulting polycarbonates are not necessarily satisfactory. Introducing the third monomers into this ROCOP system provides new terpolymers, and the thermal, optical, mechanical or degradation properties can be added or tuned by incorporating new polymer backbones derived from the third monomers at the expense of the CO2 content. Here we review the terpolymerization reactions of epoxides, CO2, and the third monomers such as cyclic anhydrides, lactones, lactides, heteroallenes, and olefins. The development of catalysts and the control of the polymer structures are described together with the chemical and physical properties of the resulting polymers.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2024Development of a comfort scale for community old dwellers with mild cognitive declineENYukieSUZUKIGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2024Inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A by okadaic acid induces translocation of nucleocytoplasmic O-GlcNAc transferaseENHeriati SitosariGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama1661-659625222024Distribution and Incorporation of Extracellular Vesicles into Chondrocytes and Synoviocytes11942ENTakashiOhtsukiDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityIkumiSatoDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityRenTakashitaDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityShintaroKodamaDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityKentaroIkemuraDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityGabrielOpokuDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityShogoWatanabeDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakayukiFurumatsuDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineHiroshiYamadaDepartment of Neuroscience, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineMitsuruAndoLaboratory of Biomaterials, Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto UniversityKazunariAkiyoshiDepartment of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityKeiichiroNishidaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineSatoshiHirohataDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityOsteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease affecting over 500 million people worldwide. As the population ages and obesity rates rise, the societal burden of OA is increasing. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly interleukin-1β, are implicated in the pathogenesis of OA. Recent studies suggest that crosstalk between cartilage and synovium contributes to OA development, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were purified from cell culture-conditioned medium via ultracentrifugation and confirmed using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and western blotting. We demonstrated that EVs were taken up by human synoviocytes and chondrocytes in vitro, while in vivo experiments revealed that fluorescent-labelled EVs injected into mouse joints were incorporated into chondrocytes and synoviocytes. EV uptake was significantly inhibited by dynamin-mediated endocytosis inhibitors, indicating that endocytosis plays a major role in this process. Additionally, co-culture experiments with HEK-293 cells expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP)-tagged CD9 and the chondrocytic cell line OUMS-27 confirmed the transfer of RFP-positive EVs across a 600-nm but not a 30-nm filter. These findings suggest that EVs from chondrocytes are released into joint fluid and taken up by cells within the cartilage, potentially facilitating communication between cartilage and synovium. The results underscore the importance of EVs in OA pathophysiology.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Japanese Society for HygieneActa Medica Okayama1342-078X282023Association and dose-response relationship between exposure to alcohol advertising media and current drinking: a nationwide cross-sectional study of Japanese adolescents58ENKeitaYoshidaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesHideyukiKandaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesYukiKuwabaraDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityAyaKinjoDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityHisashiYoshimotoDepartment of Family Medicine, General Practice and Community Health, Institute of Medicine, University of TsukubaTerunaItoDepartment of Food and Nutrition, Koriyama Women’s UniversityHideakiKasugaDepartment of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Fukushima Medical UniversityRurikoMinobeNational Institute of Alcoholism, Kurihama National HospitalHitoshiMaesatoNational Institute of Alcoholism, Kurihama National HospitalMakiJikeDepartment of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Showa Women’s UniversityYuukiMatsumotoDivision of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of MedicineYuichiroOtsukaDivision of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of MedicineOsamuItaniDivision of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of MedicineYoshitakaKaneitaDivision of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of MedicineSusumuHiguchiNational Institute of Alcoholism, Kurihama National HospitalYoneatsuOsakiDivision of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori UniversityBackground: Underage drinking is a public health concern. However, few studies have examined the association between alcoholic beverage advertising and underage drinking, particularly in countries with low underage drinking rates, such as Japan. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between exposure to advertising in various media and alcohol drinking among Japanese adolescents.<br>
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 15,683 adolescents (51% girls) using data from a nationwide lifestyle survey in 2021 among junior and senior high schools across Japan. Media types were websites, stores, and public transportation. We defined current drinking as alcohol consumption of ≥1 day in the 30 days preceding the survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between exposure to alcohol advertisements and current drinking, adjusting for sex, grades, school area, lifestyle (bedtime and having fun at school), and addictive behaviors (smoking status and parents’ alcohol consumption).<br>
Results: The prevalence of current drinking was 2.2% (2.3% of boys and 2.0% of girls). Students who were exposed to any alcohol advertising media had higher odds of current drinking compared with those who were not (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–1.87). Students who were exposed to web, in-store, and public transportation advertisements had odds ratios of 1.44 (95% CI, 1.14–1.81), 1.62 (1.28–2.05), and 1.45 (1.06–1.98) of current drinking, respectively, compared with those who were not. The association of exposure to alcohol advertising media with the prevalence of current drinking was similar among boys and girls (all p for sex interaction >0.1), except for that of exposure to web advertisements; its association with current drinking was more pronounced in girls (p for sex interaction = 0.046). Exposure to a larger cumulative number of different alcohol advertising media was independently associated with a higher prevalence of current drinking among all students, boys, and girls (p-values for trend <0.001, 0.031, and <0.001, respectively; p for sex interaction = 0.085).<br>
Conclusions: We found an association with a dose-response relationship between exposure to alcohol advertisements and current drinking among adolescents in junior and senior high schools across Japan. Our findings highlight the need for further advertising regulations to prevent underage drinking.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Japan Medical AssociationActa Medica Okayama2433-3298632023Transversal Survey of Emergency Medicine Policy and Quality Metrics in Japan' s Regional Health Care Plans284291ENAtsuyoshiIidaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care, and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShinyaSaitoGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesJunHamadaDepartment of Health and Welfare Services Management, Kawasaki University of Medical WelfareShunsukeNakamuraDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Okayama HospitalTsuyoshiNojimaDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care, and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiromichiNaitoDepartment of Emergency, Critical Care, and Disaster Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakeshiMikaneDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Japanese Red Cross Okayama HospitalIntroduction: It is essential to establish appropriate medical quality metrics and make improvements to safely and efficiently deliver optimum emergency medical services. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) recommends prefectures to establish numerical quality metrics in their regional healthcare plans (RHCP). The 7th RHCP was issued by the MHLW in 2017 along with a notice of planning in covering the six-year period from 2018 to 2023. In this descriptive study, the emergency medicine policies in the 7th RHCP of each prefecture were analyzed from a quality improvement perspective.<br>
Method: The authors examined the chapters on emergency medicine in the RHCPs of 47 prefectural governments for the overall structure, cost-benefits, and connection to community-based integrated care systems. The type and number of clinical measures listed as numerical metrics and their classification methods were emphasized.<br>
Result: Regarding the overall plan structure, 40 prefectural governments began their description with an analysis of current surroundings. In total, 24 prefectural governments mentioned community-based integrated care systems but none mentioned cost-benefit analysis. Altogether, only 43 of 47 prefectural governments (91%) indicated numerical metrics. The maximum number of numerical targets for quality measures by prefecture was 19, the minimum was 0, and the median was 4 (IQR: 3-6.5); there were 220 metrics in total, with 82 structural, 96 process, and 42 outcome measures. Additionally, 13 prefectures (28%) classified quality measures according to the MHLW’s guidance, 6 (13%) used their own classification manner, while the others did not classify their measures.<br>
Conclusions: There were significant differences in emergency medicine policies and quality metrics among the prefectural governments. Further research is needed to develop and establish more comprehensive and appropriate metrics based on a common methodology to improve the quality of emergency medicine.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学経済学会Acta Medica Okayama2433-41465622024エージェントベースモデルによる自己組織化的集積の再現：特別区におけるICT 事業所4171ENRyoheiNakamuraTakeshiNagamuneSyuseiHayashi10.18926/OER/67707 As a preliminary step to conducting a self-organizing simulation of the agglomeration and dispersion of the information and communications industry, we quantify the spatial agglomeration of the information and communications industry in Japan’s major cities. Using the town and district data from the Economic Census for Economic Activity, we attempted a spatial analysis of the information and communications industry in the Tokyo Special Wards as well as in Sapporo, Sendai, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka, which have regional central functions. As a result of detecting spatial autocorrelation in small areas within each city, hotspots indicating the agglomeration of information and communications industry offi ces were found in the city center of each city. At the same time, we were able to confi rm the impact of agglomeration economies, which are the premise of the self-organizing model, and confi rmed that the information and communications industry is an industry suitable for simulation of the self-organizing model.
Krugman（1996）was the fi rst to model the self-organizing model in cities and clarifi ed the emergence principle of peripheral cities, but this was limited to numerical simulations. Later, Kumar et al.（2007）used actual data to show that Krugman’s self-organizing model could be applied to predict corporate agglomeration and dispersion. In this paper, we use an agent-based model to examine whether a self-organizing model is also effective in reproducing and predicting the concentration and dispersion of the information and communications industry in Japanese cities.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学経済学会Acta Medica Okayama2433-41465622024学生による地方創生活動10年の成果と課題―瀬戸内市裳掛地区での実践活動―1740ENSatoshiMimuraAkaneTokoo10.18926/OER/67706 岡山大学の公認学生サークルのなかで地方創生活動を展開しているサークルに「まちづくり研究会」がある。岡山大学学生サークル「まちづくり研究会」は，2014年に活動を開始，その活動の目的は，過疎化人口減少の問題を抱える瀬戸内市邑久町虫明（おくちょうむしあけ）の裳掛（もかけ）地区をフィールドとした学生と地域住民による地方創生の協働活動であり，通称『瀬戸内市裳掛地区再生プロジェクト』と呼ばれている。
この10年間，学生たちは先輩たちから後輩たちに実践活動をリレーしながら様々な活動を展開してきた。その主眼が，生徒数の減る裳掛小学校の子どもたちの支援活動を続けることで，生徒数の減少に歯止めをかけることである。そのための具体的な方策として，「学生による情報発信」，「耕作放棄地対策への参加」，「空き家の再生支援による拠点づくり」，「移住定住促進支援」，「地域催事への企画・運営支援」，「子どもたちの見守り」などの活動を実践しながら地域を元気にする応援を継続してきた。なお，掲載写真の使用許可は，活動の都度，地域の皆様（保護者を含む）や学生たちに確認・了解を得ている。
本論では，この学生たちの活動の成果を紹介しながら，学生たちの学びと地域への貢献という互恵性の視座に立ち「学生による地域創生活動の実践事例研究」として報告する。No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学経済学会Acta Medica Okayama2433-41465622024なぜ中間組織が必要なのか116ENDaijiFujiiTamakoOshima10.18926/OER/67705 This paper challenges a fundamental question, ‘Why is an intermediate organization necessary?’ Due to transaction costs and market failures on the one hand and the limitations of organizational control mechanisms on the other hand, many‘ intermediate organizations’ are observed in the real world. How can we tackle to explain the governance mechanism considered to be‘ intermediate?’
If we are to discuss such socioeconomic orders, this paper assumes that we should not be able to link micro-level explanations and macro-level ones concerning the third mode of governance mechanisms all at once. We need to stick to the meso-level at fi rst. The theoretical elaboration since Ouchi’s（1980） discussion of clan-type governance and cumulative empirical research on industrial agglomerations have allowed us to construct a more sophisticated theory called community capital.
In effective communities, members are ‘embedded as insiders’ who serve the purpose of the community, share experiences of failures and successes, and find and deepen their common identity. This limited membership is bound by‘ mutual trust to rely on each other’ for‘ distribution of short-term risks.’ In contrast to social norms that need to be abstract enough to be widely shared, the communal norms that are concrete enough to allow the members to understand without hesitation how they should behave in localized contexts are cumulatively cultivated along socializing process. Among the norms, sense of mutual obligation to incur intermittent costs for the whole community is a crucial norm for the sustainable development of the community. However, as a practical matter, membership control, mutual trust and short-term risk allocation may serve the communities in the short run, but they do not guarantee long-term accumulation of shared capital. As a result, the limits of community capital may need to be discussed once again, especially today when market liquidity is increasing, and its failures tend to become more apparent in a variety of areas.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2078-248915102024A Study of Exergame System Using Hand Gestures for Wrist Flexibility Improvement for Tenosynovitis Prevention622ENYanqiXiaoDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityIrin TriAnggrainiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityCheng-LiangShihDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityChih-PengFanDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityCurrently, as an increasing number of people have been addicted to using cellular phones, smartphone tenosynovitis has become common from long-term use of fingers for their operations. Hand exercise while playing video games, which is called exergame, can be a good solution to provide enjoyable daily exercise opportunities for its prevention, particularly, for young people. In this paper, we implemented a simple exergame system with a hand gesture recognition program made in Python using the Mediapipe library. We designed three sets of hand gestures to control the key operations to play the games as different exercises useful for tenosynovitis prevention. For evaluations, we prepared five video games running on a web browser and asked 10 students from Okayama and Hiroshima Universities, Japan, to play them and answer 10 questions in the questionnaire. Their playing results and System Usability Scale (SUS) scores confirmed the usability of the proposal, although we improved one gesture set to reduce its complexity. Moreover, by measuring the angles for maximum wrist movements, we found that the wrist flexibility was improved by playing the games, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposal.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersActa Medica Okayama2169-3536122024Detecting Unintended Redirects to Malicious Websites on Android Devices Based on URL-Switching Interval153285153294ENToshihiroYamauchiFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityRintaroOritoGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKojiEbisuGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMasayaSatoFaculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Okayama Prefectural UniversityWebsite clicks that redirect Android-phone users to malicious websites with fake virus alerts or phishing attacks are increasing exponentially. Although a uniform resource locator (URL) blocklist is considered a suitable countermeasure to such attacks, it is difficult to efficiently identify malicious websites. To the best of our knowledge, no research has focused on detecting attacks that redirect Android-phone users to malicious websites. Therefore, we propose a redirect-detection method that focuses on the URL bar-switching interval of Android-based Google Chrome browser. The proposed method, which can be easily installed as an Android application, uses the Android accessibility service to detect unintended redirects to malicious websites without collecting information about these websites in advance. This paper details the design, implementation, and evaluation results of the proposed application on an actual Android device. We determined the threshold values for the number of times the URL bar switches and the elapsed time to determine redirects to malicious websites for the proposed method. Based on the results, we investigated the causes of false-positive detection of redirects to benign websites and offer solutions on handling them. We also present the threshold values that can minimize the false positive and negative rates, as well as the detection accuracy of the proposed method based on these threshold values. Additionally, we present the evaluations results based on the access logs of actual users participating in the WarpDrive project experiment, which indicate that the proposed method minimizes false positives and successfully detects most redirects to malicious websites.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1364-548X60932024Machine-learning-assisted prediction of the size of microgels prepared by aqueous precipitation polymerization1367813681ENDaisukeSuzukiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityHarukaMinatoGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYujiSatoGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityRyujiNamiokaGraduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu UniversityYasuhikoIgarashiFaculty of Engineering, Information and Systems, University of TsukubaRisakoShibataDepartment of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio UniversityYuyaOakiDepartment of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio UniversityThe size of soft colloids (microgels) is essential; however, control over their size has typically been established empirically. Herein, we report a linear-regression model that can predict microgel size using a machine learning method, sparse modeling for small data, which enables the determination of the synthesis conditions for target-sized microgels.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersActa Medica Okayama2169-3536122024MUSIC Spectrum Based Interference Detection, Localization, and Interference Arrival Prediction for mmWave IRS-MIMO System142592142605ENYafeiHouFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKazutoYanoWave Engineering Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute InternationalNorisatoSugaWave Engineering Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute InternationalJulianWebberWave Engineering Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute InternationalSatoshiDennoFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityToshikazuSakanoWave Engineering Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute InternationalFor a millimeter wave (mmWave) intelligent re-configurable surface (IRS)-MIMO system, if it can correctly detect the interference occurrence and their locations, the patterns of interference signal can be collected and learned using machine learning for the prediction of interference arrival. With the information of interference location and activity pattern, the capacity of the system can be largely improved using many techniques such as beamforming, interference cancellation, and transmission scheduling. This paper aims to detect interference occurrence using a low-complexity MUSIC (MUSIC: multiple signal classification) spectrum-based method, and then localize their sources for mmWave IRS-MIMO system. The MUSIC spectrum of wireless system can be regarded as somehow the 'signature' related to the signals transmitted from different users or interference. We utilize such property to detect the occurrence of interference, and then localize their sources in a low-complexity way. Finally, the pattern of interference occurrence can be learned to predict the interference arrival from the collected data. This paper also proposed an efficient probabilistic neural network (PNN)-based predictor for the interference arrival prediction and showed its prediction accuracy. From simulated results, our proposed method can achieve the correct results with the accuracy near to 100% when the fingerprint samples is over 10. In addition, the localization error can be within 1 m with more than 65% and 43% for Y-axis and X-axis, respectively. Finally, based on the results of the interference occurrence, the proposed PNN-based predictor for the interference arrival prediction can capture correctly the similar distribution function of the coming continuous idle status.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.JMIR PublicationsActa Medica Okayama2369-3762102024Enhancing Medical Interview Skills Through AI-Simulated PatientInteractions:Nonrandomized Controlled Triale58753ENAkiraYamamotoDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University HospitalMasahideKodaCo-learning Community Healthcare Re-innovation Office, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHirokoOgawaDepartment of Primary Care and Medical Education, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineTomokoMiyoshiDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshinobuMaedaDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Okayama University HospitalFumioOtsukaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHideoInoCenter for Education in Medicine and Health Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesBackground: Medical interviewing is a critical skill in clinical practice, yet opportunities for practical training are limited in Japanese medical schools, necessitating urgent measures. Given advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, its application in the medical field is expanding. However, reports on its application in medical interviews in medical education are scarce. <br>
Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether medical students' interview skills could be improved by engaging with Al-simulated patients using large language models, including the provision of feedback. <br>
Methods: This nonrandomized controlled trial was conducted with fourth-year medical students in Japan. A simulation program using large language models was provided to 35 students in the intervention group in 2023, while 110 students from 2022 who did not participate in the intervention were selected as the control group. The primary outcome was the score on the Pre-Clinical Clerkship Objective Structured Clinical Examination (pre-CC OSCE), a national standardized clinical skills examination, in medical interviewing. Secondary outcomes included surveys such as the Simulation-Based Training Quality Assurance Tool (SBT-QA10), administered at the start and end of the study. <br>
Results: The Al intervention group showed significantly higher scores on medical interviews than the control group (Al group vs control group: mean 28.1, SD 1.6 vs 27.1, SD 2.2; P=.01). There was a trend of inverse correlation between the SBT-QA10 and pre-CC OSCE scores (regression coefficient-2.0 to-2.1). No significant safety concerns were observed. <br>
Conclusions: Education through medical interviews using Al-simulated patients has demonstrated safety and a certain level of educational effectiveness. However, at present, the educational effects of this platform on nonverbal communication skills are limited, suggesting that it should be used as a supplementary tool to traditional simulation education.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7852024Phenotypic and Genetic Characteristics of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Isolates at Okayama University Hospital371376ENKazuyoshiGotohDepartment of Bacteriology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMakotoMiyoshiDepartment of Medical Laboratory Science, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityI Putu Bayu MayuraDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana UniversityShumaTsujiDepartment of Medical Laboratory Science, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityKojiIioMicrobiology Division, Clinical Laboratory, Okayama University HospitalShinnosukeFukushimaDepartment of Bacteriology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOsamuMatsushitaDepartment of Bacteriology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHideharuHagiyaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/67657Spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) is an ongoing public health issue worldwide, including in Japan. In this study, we investigated the phenotypic and genetic characteristics of CPE isolates at Okayama University Hospital over the 5 years (2013-2018) prior to the outbreak of the 2019 coronavirus pandemic. Of 24 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales isolated during the study period, we identified 8 CPE isolates harboring blaIMP-1 (5 isolates) and blaIMP-6 genes (3 isolates). Bacterial species and carbapenem susceptibility patterns exhibited diversity. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of meropenem were generally higher than those of imipenem and biapenem. Results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis demonstrated that neither clonal nor plasmid-mediated outbreaks of blaIMP-harboring CPE isolates have developed at our hospital. One Klebsiella oxytoca isolate showed a high MIC (128 μg/mL) of meropenem, which could be explained by the high plasmid copy number. Subsequent analysis of this isolate may elucidate the intricacies of carbapenem resistance profiles among CPE isolates. Collectively, our findings underscore the necessity for ongoing genetic surveillance of CPE, complemented by tailored approaches for infection prevention and control.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama1022-13364612024Elastomer Particle Monolayers Formed by the Compression of Poly(methyl acrylate) Microparticles at an Air/Water Interface2400604ENYumaSasakiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYuichiroNishizawaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNatsukiWatanabeDepartment of Physics, Nagoya UniversityTakayukiUchihashiDepartment of Physics, Nagoya UniversityDaisukeSuzukiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityIn the previous study (Green Chem., 2023, 25, 3418), highly stretchable and mechanically tough poly(methyl acrylate) (pMA) microparticle-based elastomers can be formed by drying a microparticle-containing aqueous dispersion. This discovery has the potential to overcome the mechanical weakness of industrially produced aqueous latex films. However, in 3D-arranged particle films, structural complexity, such as the existence of defects, makes it difficult to clearly understand the relationship between the particle film structure and its mechanical properties. In this study, 2D-ordered pMA particle monolayers at the air/water interface of a Langmuir trough are prepared. Under high compression at the air/water interface, the microparticles contact their neighboring particles, and the resulting monolayers can be successfully transferred onto a solid substrate. The compression of the monolayer films is linked to an increase in the elastic modulus of the monolayer film on the solid substrate as evident from the local Young's modulus mapping using atomic force microscopy. Thus, pMA particle films with different mechanical properties can be created using a Langmuir trough.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama2769-2558222023Effectiveness of psychological first aid in infectious disease pandemics: An overview of systematic reviewse107ENMasahideKodaCo‐Learning Community Healthcare Re‐Innovation Office, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityToruHorinouchiDepartment of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Graduate School of MedicineNozomuOyaDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of MedicineMorioAkiDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityAkihisaIrikiOsaka Psychiatric Medical CenterKazufumiYoshidaDepartment of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Graduate School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Kyoto UniversityYusukeOgawaDepartment of Healthcare Epidemiology, School of Public Health in the Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityHironoriKugaNational Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, National Center of Neurology and PsychiatryTomohiroNakaoDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu UniversityThere is insufficient research on the usefulness of psychological interventions, such as psychological first aid (PFA), during outbreaks. We searched for and critically appraised systematic reviews that examined the effectiveness of PFA during infectious disease outbreaks, such as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Systematic reviews that examined the efficacy of PFA in the severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Ebola virus disease, and COVID-19 outbreaks were searched through PubMed on February 19, 2021. The three included systematic reviews were critically appraised and assessed using AMSTAR-2. One review's overall confidence in its findings was evaluated as “high,” which suggested that PFA training had a favorable effect on healthcare personnel. Furthermore, the review also demonstrated that PFA was commonly used during outbreaks and could be delivered through multiple methods, such as a phone or video call. Although it was anticipated that PFA would improve subjective well-being, reports showed no evidence of reduced depression or insomnia. Future studies should examine additional numbers of PFA recipients and conduct quasi-experimental studies to better understand the effectiveness of PFA. Evidence on its effectiveness in infectious disease outbreaks is still lacking, along with research and evaluation methods. Quasi-experimental studies, such as comparisons with other psychological interventions, are required to better understand the effectiveness of PFA.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2072-664316172024Cyclic Oligosaccharide-Induced Modulation of Immunoglobulin A Reactivity to Gut Bacteria Contributes to Alterations in the Bacterial Community Structure2824ENTaiseiMiyamotoGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityTakeshiTsurutaGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityMaoTeraokaGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityTianyangWangGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityNaokiNishinoGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityImmunoglobulin A (IgA) is a major gut antibody that coats commensal gut bacteria and contributes to shaping a stable gut bacterial composition. Although previous studies have shown that cyclic oligosaccharides, including cyclic nigerosyl-1,6-nigerose (CNN) and cyclodextrins (CDs, including alpha CD, beta CD, and gamma CD), alter the gut bacterial composition, it remains unclear whether cyclic oligosaccharides modify the IgA coating of gut bacteria, which relates to cyclic oligosaccharide-induced alteration of the gut bacterial composition. To address this issue, mice were maintained for 12 weeks on diets containing CNN, alpha CD, beta CD, or gamma CD; the animals' feces were evaluated for their bacterial composition and the IgA coating index (ICI), a measure of the degree of IgA coating of bacteria. We observed that the intake of each cyclic oligosaccharide altered the gut bacterial composition, with changes in the ICI found at both the phylum and genus levels. The ICI for Bacillota, Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, UC Lachnospiraceae, and Tuzzerella were significantly and positively correlated with the relative abundance (RA) in total bacteria for these bacteria; in contrast, significant correlations were not seen for other phyla and genera. Our observations suggest that cyclic oligosaccharide-induced modulation of the IgA coating of gut bacteria may partly relate to changes in the community structure of the gut bacteria.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2399-3642712024Contribution of collagen-binding protein Cnm of Streptococcus mutans to induced IgA nephropathy-like nephritis in rats1141ENShuheiNakaDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesDaikiMatsuokaDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTaroMisakiDivision of Nephrology, Seirei Hamamatsu General HospitalYasuyukiNagasawaDepartment of General Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of MedicineSeigoItoDepartment of Internal Medicine, Japan Self-Defense Force Iruma HospitalRyotaNomuraDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima UniversityKazuhikoNakanoDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, Graduate School of Dentistry, The University of OsakaMichiyoMatsumoto-NakanoDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesIgA nephropathy (IgAN), the most common primary glomerulonephritis, is considered an intractable disease with unknown pathogenic factors. In our previous study, Streptococcus mutans, the major causative bacteria of dental caries, which expresses Cnm, was related to the induction of IgAN-like nephritis. In the present study, the Cnm-positive S. mutans parental strain, a Cnm-defective isogenic mutant strain, its complementation strain, and recombinant Cnm (rCnm) protein were administered intravenously to Sprague Dawley rats, and the condition of their kidneys was evaluated focusing on the pathogenicity of Cnm. Rats treated with parental and complement bacterial strains and rCnm protein developed IgAN-like nephritis with mesangial proliferation and IgA and C3 mesangial deposition. Scanning immunoelectron microscopy revealed that rCnm was present in the electron-dense deposition area of the mesangial region in the rCnm protein group. These results demonstrated that the Cnm protein itself is an important factor in the induction of IgAN in rats.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2073-89941682024An Enhanced Active Access-Point Configuration Algorithm Using the Throughput Request Satisfaction Method for an Energy-Efficient Wireless Local-Area Network1005ENBinWuGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityDezhengKongGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityXuanWangGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTaishiroSetoGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYu-ChengFanDepartment of Electronic Engineering, National Taipei University of TechnologyWireless Local-Area Networks (WLANs), as a popular internet access solution, are widely used in numerous places, including enterprises, campuses, and public venues. As the number of devices increases, large-scale deployments will cause the problem of dense wireless networks, including a lot of energy consumption. Thus, the optimization of energy-efficient wireless AP devices has become a focal point of attention. To reduce energy consumption, we have proposed the active access-point (AP) configuration algorithm for WLANs using APs with a dual interface. This uses the greedy algorithm combined with the local search optimization method to find the minimum number of activated APs while satisfying the minimum throughput constraint. However, the previous algorithm basically satisfies only the average throughput among the multiple hosts associated with one AP, wherein some hosts may not reach the required one. In this paper, to overcome this limitation, we propose an enhanced active AP configuration algorithm by incorporating the throughput request satisfaction method that controls the actual throughput at the target value (target throughput) for every host by applying traffic shaping. The target throughput is calculated from the single and concurrent communicating throughput of each host based on channel occupancy time. The minimum throughput constraint will be iteratively adjusted to obtain the required target throughput and achieve the fair throughput allocation. For evaluations, we conducted simulations using the WIMNET simulator and experiments using the testbed system with a Raspberry Pi 4B for APs in four topology cases with five APs and ten hosts. The results show that the proposed method always achieved the required minimum throughput in simulations as well as in experiments, while minimizing the number of active APs. Thus, the validity and effectiveness of our proposal were confirmed.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2078-24891582024An Image-Based User Interface Testing Method for Flutter Programming Learning Assistant System464ENSoe ThandarAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityLynn HtetAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversitySafira AdineKinariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKhaing HsuWaiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityMustikaMentariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityFlutter has become popular for providing a uniform development environment for user interfaces (UIs) on smart phones, web browsers, and desktop applications. We have developed the Flutter programming learning assistant system (FPLAS) to assist its novice students' self-study. We implemented the Docker-based Flutter environment with Visual Studio Code and three introductory exercise projects. However, the correctness of students' answers is manually checked, although automatic checking is necessary to reduce teachers' workload and provide quick responses to students. This paper presents an image-based user interface (UI) testing method to automate UI testing by the answer code using the Flask framework. This method produces the UI image by running the answer code and compares it with the image made by the model code for the assignment using ORB and SIFT algorithms in the OpenCV library. One notable aspect is the necessity to capture multiple UI screenshots through page transitions by user input actions for the accurate detection of changes in UI elements. For evaluations, we assigned five Flutter exercise projects to fourth-year bachelor and first-year master engineering students at Okayama University, Japan, and applied the proposed method to their answers. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposal.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7842024Multicenter Remote-Access Simulation of Vaginal Delivery for High-Flexibility Medical Education during the Coronavirus Pandemic313322ENErikoEtoDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesJotaMakiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesNoriyukiYamashitaCenter for Education in Medicine and Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityToruHasegawaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAyanoSuemoriDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHikariNakatoDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHikaruObaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTomohiroMitomaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSakurakoMishimaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSatoeKirinoDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAkikoOhiraDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHisashiMasuyamaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/67547During the coronavirus pandemic, face-to-face simulation education became impossible. Therefore, we aimed to develop remote-access simulation education with a sense of realism through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) using a perinatal whole-body management and delivery simulator. In September 2021, we administered a multi-center simultaneous remote simulation based on our developed model. Ten universities in the Chugoku–Shikoku region were connected via a web-conferencing system to a live broadcast of a virtual vaginal birth in which a fictional hospitalized pregnant woman experienced accelerated labor and gave birth through vacuum delivery for fetal distress. A Video on Demand (VOD) was made beforehand using a new simulator that allowed for a visual understanding of the process of the inter-vaginal examination. We provided a participatory program that enhanced the sense of realism by combining VOD and real-time lectures on each scenario, with two-way communication between participants and trainee doctors using a chat function. Most participants answered “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the content, level of difficulty, and level of understanding. From November 2021, we have used the videos of all processes in face-to-face classes. Our construction of a high-flexibility education system using remote simulation in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, especially in the vaginal delivery module, is unique, creative, and sustainable.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.BMCActa Medica Okayama2051-59601212024Pure argyrophilic grain disease revisited: independent effects on limbic, neocortical, and striato-pallido-nigral degeneration and the development of dementia in a series with a low to moderate Braak stage121ENOsamuYokotaDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTomokoMikiDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHanaeNakashima-YasudaOkayama University Medical School HidekiIshizuOkayama University Medical School TakashiHaraguchiDepartment of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Minami Okayama Medical CenterChikakoIkedaOkayama University Medical School MasatoHasegawaDementia Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical ScienceAkinoriMiyashitaDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata UniversityTakeshiIkeuchiDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata UniversityNaotoNishikawaDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University HospitalShintaroTakenoshitaDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University HospitalKoichiroSudoDepartment of Psychiatry, Tosa HospitalSeishiTeradaDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesManabuTakakiDepartment of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAgyrophilic grains (AGs) are age-related limbic-predominant lesions in which four-repeat tau is selectively accumulated. Because previous methodologically heterogeneous studies have demonstrated inconsistent findings on the relationship between AGs and dementia, whether AGs affect cognitive function remains unclear. To address this question, we first comprehensively evaluated the distribution and quantity of Gallyas-positive AGs and the severity of neuronal loss in the limbic, neocortical, and subcortical regions in 30 cases of pure argyrophilic grain disease (pAGD) in Braak stages I-IV and without other degenerative diseases, and 34 control cases that had only neurofibrillary tangles with Braak stages I-IV and no or minimal A beta deposits. Then, we examined whether AGs have independent effects on neuronal loss and dementia by employing multivariate ordered logistic regression and binomial logistic regression. Of 30 pAGD cases, three were classified in diffuse form pAGD, which had evident neuronal loss not only in the limbic region but also in the neocortex and subcortical nuclei. In all 30 pAGD cases, neuronal loss developed first in the amygdala, followed by temporo-frontal cortex, hippocampal CA1, substantia nigra, and finally, the striatum and globus pallidus with the progression of Saito AG stage. In multivariate analyses of 30 pAGD and 34 control cases, the Saito AG stage affected neuronal loss in the amygdala, hippocampal CA1, temporo-frontal cortex, striatum, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra independent of the age, Braak stage, and limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE-NC) stage. In multivariate analyses of 23 pAGD and 28 control cases that lacked two or more lacunae and/or one or more large infarctions, 100 or more AGs per x 400 visual field in the amygdala (OR 10.02, 95% CI 1.12-89.43) and hippocampal CA1 (OR 12.22, 95% CI 1.70-87.81), and the presence of AGs in the inferior temporal cortex (OR 8.18, 95% CI 1.03-65.13) affected dementia independent of age, moderate Braak stages (III-IV), and LATE-NC. Given these findings, the high density of limbic AGs and the increase of AGs in the inferior temporal gyrus may contribute to the occurrence of dementia through neuronal loss, at least in cases in a low to moderate Braak stage.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2072-669416152024Utilizing the Metaverse to Provide Innovative Psychosocial Support for Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Patients with Rare Cancer2617ENJoeHaseiDepartment of Medical Information and Assistive Technology Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHisashiIshidaDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University HospitalHidekiKatayamaDepartment of Palliative and Supportive Care, Okayama University HospitalNaokoMaedaDepartment of Pediatrics, NHO National Hospital Organization Nagoya Medical CenterAkihitoNaganoDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu UniversityMotoharuOchiDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University HospitalMasakoOkamuraDivision of Survivorship, Institute for Cancer Control, National Cancer CenterShintaroIwataDepartment of Musculoskeletal Oncology and Rehabilitation, National Cancer Center HospitalKunihiroIkutaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya UniversityShinichirouYoshidaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku UniversityTomohiroFujiwaraScience of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityEijiNakataScience of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityRyuichiNakaharaScience of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityToshiyukiKunisadaScience of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityToshifumiOzakiScience of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityThis study investigated the potential of the metaverse in providing psychological support for pediatric and AYA cancer patients, with a focus on those with rare cancers. The research involved ten cancer patients and survivors from four distinct regions in Japan, who participated in metaverse sessions using customizable avatars, facilitating interactions across geographical and temporal barriers. Surveys and qualitative feedback were collected to assess the psychosocial impact of the intervention. The results demonstrated that the metaverse enabled patients to connect with peers, share experiences, and receive emotional support. The anonymity provided by avatars helped reduce appearance-related anxiety and stigma associated with cancer treatment. A case study of a 19-year-old male with spinal Ewing’s sarcoma highlighted the profound emotional relief fostered by metaverse interactions. The findings suggest that integrating virtual spaces into healthcare models can effectively address the unique needs of pediatric and AYA cancer patients, offering a transformative approach to delivering psychosocial support and fostering a global patient community. This innovative intervention has the potential to revolutionize patient care in the digital age.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2079-929213142024A Reference Paper Collection System Using Web Scraping2700ENInzaliNaingDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversitySoe ThandarAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKhaing HsuWaiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityCollecting reference papers from the Internet is one of the most important activities for progressing research and writing papers about their results. Unfortunately, the current process using Google Scholar may not be efficient, since a lot of paper files cannot be accessed directly by the user. Even if they are accessible, their effectiveness needs to be checked manually. In this paper, we propose a reference paper collection system using web scraping to automate paper collections from websites. This system can collect or monitor data from the Internet, which is considered as the environment, using Selenium, a popular web scraping software, as the sensor; this examines the similarity against the search target by comparing the keywords using the Bert model. The Bert model is a deep learning model for natural language processing (NLP) that can understand context by analyzing the relationships between words in a sentence bidirectionally. The Python Flask is adopted at the web application server, where Angular is used for data presentations. For the evaluation, we measured the performance, investigated the accuracy, and asked members of our laboratory to use the proposed method and provide their feedback. Their results confirm the method’s effectiveness.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024Controlling 229Th isomeric state population in a VUV transparent crystal5536ENTakahiroHirakiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityKoichiOkaiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityMichaelBartokosInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienKjeldBeeksInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienHiroyukiFujimotoNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)YutaFukunagaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHiromitsuHabaRIKENYoshitakaKasamatsuGraduate School of Science, Osaka UniversityShinjiKitaoInstitute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto UniversityAdrianLeitnerInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienTakahikoMasudaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityMingGuanResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityNobumotoNagasawaJapan Synchrotron Radiation Research InstituteRyoichiroOgakeResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityMartinPimonInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienMartinPresslerInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienNoboruSasaoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityFabianSchadenInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienThorstenSchummInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienMakotoSetoInstitute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto UniversityYudaiShigekawaRIKENKotaroShimizuResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityTomasSikorskyInstitute for Atomic and Subatomic Physics, TU WienKenjiTamasakuRIKEN SPring-8 CenterSayuriTakatoriResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityTsukasaWatanabeNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)AtsushiYamaguchiRIKENYoshitakaYodaJapan Synchrotron Radiation Research InstituteAkihiroYoshimiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityKojiYoshimuraResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityThe radioisotope thorium-229 (Th-229) is renowned for its extraordinarily low-energy, long-lived nuclear first-excited state. This isomeric state can be excited by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) lasers and Th-229 has been proposed as a reference transition for ultra-precise nuclear clocks. To assess the feasibility and performance of the nuclear clock concept, time-controlled excitation and depopulation of the Th-229 isomer are imperative. Here we report the population of the Th-229 isomeric state through resonant X-ray pumping and detection of the radiative decay in a VUV transparent Th-229-doped CaF2 crystal. The decay half-life is measured to 447(25) s, with a transition wavelength of 148.18(42) nm and a radiative decay fraction consistent with unity. Furthermore, we report a new "X-ray quenching" effect which allows to de-populate the isomer on demand and effectively reduce the half-life. Such controlled quenching can be used to significantly speed up the interrogation cycle in future nuclear clock schemes.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.ElsevierActa Medica Okayama1063-458432112024Inverse genetics tracing the differentiation pathway of human chondrocytes14191432ENH.T.DoDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesM.OnoDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesZ.WangDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesW.KitagawaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesA.T.DangDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesT.YonezawaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesT.KubokiDepartment of Oral Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesT.OohashiDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesS.KubotaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesObjective: Mammalian somatic cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) via the forced expression of Yamanaka reprogramming factors. However, only a limited population of the cells that pass through a particular pathway can metamorphose into iPSCs, while the others do not. This study aimed to clarify the pathways that chondrocytes follow during the reprogramming process.<br>
Design: The fate of human articular chondrocytes under reprogramming was investigated through a time-coursed single-cell transcriptomic analysis, which we termed an inverse genetic approach. The iPS interference technique was also employed to verify that chondrocytes inversely return to pluripotency following the proper differentiation pathway.<br>
Results: We confirmed that human chondrocytes could be converted into cells with an iPSC phenotype. Moreover, it was clarified that a limited population that underwent the silencing of SOX9, a master gene for chondrogenesis, at a specific point during the proper transcriptome transition pathway, could eventually become iPSCs. Interestingly, the other cells, which failed to be reprogrammed, followed a distinct pathway toward cells with a surface zone chondrocyte phenotype. The critical involvement of cellular communication network factors (CCNs) in this process was indicated. The idea that chondrocytes, when reprogrammed into iPSCs, follow the differentiation pathway backward was supported by the successful iPS interference using SOX9.<br>
Conclusions: This inverse genetic strategy may be useful for seeking candidates for the master genes for the differentiation of various somatic cells. The utility of CCNs in articular cartilage regeneration is also supported.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024Large-volume focus control at 10 MHz refresh rate via fast line-scanning amplitude-encoded scattering-assisted holography2926ENAtsushiShibukawaResearch Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido UniversityRyotaHiguchiResearch Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido UniversityGookhoSongDepartment of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and TechnologyHideharuMikamiResearch Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido UniversityYukiSudoFaculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityMooseokJangDepartment of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and TechnologyThe capability of focus control has been central to optical technologies that require both high temporal and spatial resolutions. However, existing varifocal lens schemes are commonly limited to the response time on the microsecond timescale and share the fundamental trade-off between the response time and the tuning power. Here, we propose an ultrafast holographic focusing method enabled by translating the speed of a fast 1D beam scanner into the speed of the complex wavefront modulation of a relatively slow 2D spatial light modulator. Using a pair of a digital micromirror device and a resonant scanner, we demonstrate an unprecedented refresh rate of focus control of 31 MHz, which is more than 1,000 times faster than the switching rate of a digital micromirror device. We also show that multiple micrometer-sized focal spots can be independently addressed in a range of over 1 MHz within a large volume of 5 mm × 5 mm × 5.5 mm, validating the superior spatiotemporal characteristics of the proposed technique – high temporal and spatial precision, high tuning power, and random accessibility in a three-dimensional space. The demonstrated scheme offers a new route towards three-dimensional light manipulation in the 100 MHz regime.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024Strain-induced long-range charge-density wave order in the optimally doped Bi2Sr2-x Lax CuO6 superconductor5082ENShinjiKawasakiDepartment of Physics, Okayama UniversityNaoTsukudaDepartment of Physics, Okayama UniversityChengtianLinMax-Planck-Institut fur FestkorperforschungGuo-QingZhengDepartment of Physics, Okayama UniversityThe mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity in copper oxides (cuprate) remains elusive, with the pseudogap phase considered a potential factor. Recent attention has focused on a long-range symmetry-broken charge-density wave (CDW) order in the underdoped regime, induced by strong magnetic fields. Here by Cu-63,Cu-65-nuclear magnetic resonance, we report the discovery of a long-range CDW order in the optimally doped Bi2Sr2-xLaxCuO6 superconductor, induced by in-plane strain exceeding divided by epsilon divided by = 0.15 %, which deliberately breaks the crystal symmetry of the CuO2 plane. We find that compressive/tensile strains reduce superconductivity but enhance CDW, leaving superconductivity to coexist with CDW. The findings show that a long-range CDW order is an underlying hidden order in the pseudogap state, not limited to the underdoped regime, becoming apparent under strain. Our result sheds light on the intertwining of various orders in the cuprates.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)Acta Medica Okayama1359-734560522024Switchable synthesis of 3-aminoindolines and 2′-aminoarylacetic acids using Grignard reagents and 3-azido-2-hydroxyindolines66156618ENToshikiYamashiroGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakumiAbeGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityThe switchable synthesis of 3-aminoindolines and 2′-aminoaryl acetic acids from the same substrates, 3-azido-2-hydroxyindolines, was developed through denitrogenative electrophilic amination of Grignard reagents. The key to success is the serendipitous discovery that the reaction conditions, including solvents and reaction temperature, can affect the chemoselectivity. It is noteworthy that isotope-labeling experiments revealed the occurrence of the aziridine intermediate in the production of 2′-aminoaryl acetic acids.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024An NLR paralog Pit2 generated from tandem duplication of Pit1 fine-tunes Pit1 localization and function4610ENYuyingLiShenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesQiongWangShanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesHuiminJiaCollege of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural UniversityKazuyaIshikawaShanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesKen-IchiKosamiShanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesTakahiroUebaLaboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyAtsumiTsujimotoLaboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyMikiYamanakaLaboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyYasuyukiYabumotoLaboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyDaisukeMikiShanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesErikoSasakiFaculty of Science, Kyushu UniversityYoichiroFukaoDepartment of Bioinformatics, Ritsumeikan UniversityMasayukiFujiwaraYANMAR HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.TakakoKaneko-KawanoCollege of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan UniversityLiTanShanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesChojiroKojimaGraduate School of Engineering Science, Yokohama National UniversityRod A.WingArizona Genomics Institute, School of Plant Sciences, University of ArizonaAlfinoSebastianInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityHidekiNishimuraInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityFumiFukadaInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityQingfengNiuAdvanced Academy, Anhui Agricultural University, Research Centre for Biological Breeding TechnologyMotokiShimizuIwate Biotechnology Research CenterKentaroYoshidaGraduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University RyoheiTerauchiIwate Biotechnology Research CenterKoShimamotoLaboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyYojiKawanoInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityNLR family proteins act as intracellular receptors. Gene duplication amplifies the number of NLR genes, and subsequent mutations occasionally provide modifications to the second gene that benefits immunity. However, evolutionary processes after gene duplication and functional relationships between duplicated NLRs remain largely unclear. Here, we report that the rice NLR protein Pit1 is associated with its paralogue Pit2. The two are required for the resistance to rice blast fungus but have different functions: Pit1 induces cell death, while Pit2 competitively suppresses Pit1-mediated cell death. During evolution, the suppression of Pit1 by Pit2 was probably generated through positive selection on two fate-determining residues in the NB-ARC domain of Pit2, which account for functional differences between Pit1 and Pit2. Consequently, Pit2 lost its plasma membrane localization but acquired a new function to interfere with Pit1 in the cytosol. These findings illuminate the evolutionary trajectory of tandemly duplicated NLR genes after gene duplication.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024Photoinduced dynamics during electronic transfer from narrow to wide bandgap layers in one-dimensional heterostructured materials4600ENYuriSaidaGraduate School of Science and Technology, University of TsukubaThomasGauthierUniv Rennes, CNRS, IPR (Institut de Physique de Rennes) UMR 6251HirooSuzukiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversitySatoshiOhmuraFaculty of Engineering, Hiroshima Institute of TechnologyRyoShikataGraduate School of Science and Technology, University of TsukubaYuiIwasakiGraduate School of Science and Technology, University of TsukubaGodaiNoyamaGraduate School of Science and Technology, University of TsukubaMisakiKishibuchiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYuichiroTanakaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityWataruYajimaGraduate School of Science and Technology, University of TsukubaNicolasGodinUniv Rennes, CNRS, IPR (Institut de Physique de Rennes) UMR 6251GaelPrivaultUniv Rennes, CNRS, IPR (Institut de Physique de Rennes) UMR 6251TomoharuTokunagaGraduate School of Engineering, Nagoya UniversityShotaOnoInstitute for Materials Research, Tohoku University Shin-YaKoshiharaSchool of Science, Tokyo Institute of TechnologyKenjiTsurutaGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasuhikoHayashiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityRomanBertoniUniv Rennes, CNRS, IPR (Institut de Physique de Rennes) UMR 6251MasakiHadaInstitute of Pure and Applied Science and Tsukuba Research Center for Energy Materials Science (TREMS), University of TsukubaElectron transfer is a fundamental energy conversion process widely present in synthetic, industrial, and natural systems. Understanding the electron transfer process is important to exploit the uniqueness of the low-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures because interlayer electron transfer produces the function of this class of material. Here, we show the occurrence of an electron transfer process in one-dimensional layer-stacking of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). This observation makes use of femtosecond broadband optical spectroscopy, ultrafast time-resolved electron diffraction, and first-principles theoretical calculations. These results reveal that near-ultraviolet photoexcitation induces an electron transfer from the conduction bands of CNT to BNNT layers via electronic decay channels. This physical process subsequently generates radial phonons in the one-dimensional vdW heterostructure material. The gathered insights unveil the fundamentals physics of interfacial interactions in low dimensional vdW heterostructures and their photoinduced dynamics, pushing their limits for photoactive multifunctional applications.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7832024Palliative Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for a Small Part of a Large Vestibular Schwannoma in an Elderly Patient301306ENKiyoshiNakazakiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Brain Attack Center Ota Memorial HospitalSatoshiHiraiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Kawasaki Medical SchoolTomohitoHishikawaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Kawasaki Medical SchoolCase Report10.18926/AMO/67207We report a case of a large vestibular schwannoma in an 80-year-old female patient that shrank after palliative Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKS). Neurological symptoms included hearing deterioration and facial palsy. The tumor volume was 21.9 mL. Craniotomy was considered high-risk, and conventional GKS was risky, owing to the risk of transient enlargement. Therefore, GKS was performed on only a portion of the tumor. The marginal dose (12 Gy) volume was 3.8 mL (17.4%). The tumor began to shrink after transient enlargement. Sixty months later, the tumor volume was only 3.1 mL, and the patient was able to maintain independent activities of daily living without salvage treatment.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7832024The Impact of Reduced Skeletal Muscle Mass on Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis245250ENManabuAkagawaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Omagari Kousei Medical CenterHidetomoSaitoDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of MedicineYasuhiroTakahashiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Omagari Kousei Medical CenterYosukeIwamotoDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Omagari Kousei Medical CenterJunpeiIidaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Omagari Kousei Medical CenterTakayukiYoshikawaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Omagari Kousei Medical CenterToshikiAbeDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Omagari Kousei Medical CenterKimioSaitoDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of MedicineHiroakiKijimaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of MedicineYujiKasukawaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of MedicineMichioHongoDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of MedicineNaohisaMiyakoshiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of MedicineOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/67199Although several studies have suggested a possible association between sarcopenia and knee osteoarthritis (OA) in the elderly, there remains no definitive evidence. Recently, however, the serum creatinine/cystatin C ratio (sarcopenia index: SI) was reported to correlate with skeletal muscle mass. The present retrospective study therefore investigated the impact of reduced skeletal muscle mass on advanced knee OA using SI. In 55 individuals scheduled for knee osteotomy or knee arthroplasty, correlations between SI and patient-reported outcomes such as the Knee Society Score (KSS), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) were explored. Significant associations were found between SI and the KSS functional activity score (β=0.37; p=0.022), KOOS subscale for activities of daily living (β=0.42; p=0.0096), and OKS (β=0.42; p=0.0095). This study underscores the role of reduced muscle mass in functional outcomes and introduces SI as a valuable marker for assessing muscle loss in knee OA patients.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7832024Effect of Lipopolysaccharide on the Duration of Zolpidem-Induced Loss of Righting Reflex in Mice227235ENYudaiWadaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSoichiroUshioDepartment of Pharmacy, Okayama University HospitalYoshihisaKitamuraDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshitoZamamiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshiakiSendoDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/67197Zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic, is primarily used to treat insomnia. In a previous study, pior treatment with non-benzodiazepine receptor agonists was associated with inflammation. The present study aimed to clarify the association between the effects of zolpidem and inflammation in mice treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a known model of inflammation. We assessed the zolpidem-induced loss of righting reflex (LORR) duration 24 h after LPS treatment in mice. Additionally, the expressions of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptor subunit and K+-Cl− cotransporter isoform 2 (KCC2) mRNA in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were examined in LPS-treated mice. Pretreatment with LPS was associated with significantly prolonged duration of zolpidem-induced LORR compared to control mice. This effect was significantly attenuated by administering bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist, or flumazenil, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, in LPS-treated mice. Compared to controls, LPS-treated mice showed no significant change in the expression of GABAA receptor subunits in the hippocampus or frontal cortex. Bumetanide, an Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter isoform 1 blocker, attenuated the extended duration of zolpidem-induced LORR observed in LPS-treated mice. LPS significantly decreased Kcc2 mRNA expression in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex. These findings suggest that inflammation increases zolpidem-induced LORR, possibly through a reduction in KCC2 expression.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7832024Thoughts on and Proposal for the Education, Training, and Recruitment of Infectious Disease Specialists205213ENHideharuHagiyaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Okayama University HospitalReview10.18926/AMO/67195The global pandemic of COVID-19 has underscored the significance of establishing and sustaining a practical and efficient infection control system for the benefit and welfare of society. Infectious disease (ID) specialists are expected to take on leadership roles in enhancing organizational infrastructures for infection prevention and control (IPC) at the hospital, community, and national levels. However, due to an absolute shortage and an uneven distribution, many core hospitals currently lack the ID specialists. Given the escalating global risk of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases as well as antimicrobial resistance pathogens, the education and training of ID specialists constitutes an imperative concern. As demonstrated by historical changes in the healthcare reimbursement system, the establishment and enhancement of IPC measures is pivotal to ensuring medical safety. The existing structure of academic society-driven certification and training initiatives for ID specialists, contingent upon the discretionary decisions of individual physicians, possesses both quantitative and qualitative shortcomings. In this article, I first address the present situations and challenges related to ID specialists and then introduce my idea of securing ID specialists based on the new concepts and platforms; (i) ID Specialists as National Credentials, (ii) Establishment of the Department of Infectious Diseases in Medical and Graduate Schools, (iii) Endowed ID Educative Courses Funded by Local Government and Pharmaceutical Companies, and (iv) Recruitment of Young Physicians Engaged in Healthcare Services in Remote Areas. As clarified by the COVID-19 pandemic, ID specialists play a crucial role in safeguarding public health. Hopefully, this article will advance the discussion and organizational reform for the education and training of ID specialists.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature PortfolioActa Medica Okayama2041-17231512024Structure and distinct supramolecular organization of a PSII-ACPII dimer from a cryptophyte alga Chroomonas placoidea4535ENZhiyuanMaoPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesXingyueLiPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesZhenhuaLiPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesLiangliangShenPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesXiaoyiLiPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesYanyanYangPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesWendaWangPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesTingyunKuangPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesJian-RenShenInstitute for Interdisciplinary Science, and Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityGuangyeHanPhotosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesCryptophyte algae are an evolutionarily distinct and ecologically important group of photosynthetic unicellular eukaryotes. Photosystem II (PSII) of cryptophyte algae associates with alloxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding proteins (ACPs) to act as the peripheral light-harvesting system, whose supramolecular organization is unknown. Here, we purify the PSII-ACPII supercomplex from a cryptophyte alga Chroomonas placoidea (C. placoidea), and analyze its structure at a resolution of 2.47 & Aring; using cryo-electron microscopy. This structure reveals a dimeric organization of PSII-ACPII containing two PSII core monomers flanked by six symmetrically arranged ACPII subunits. The PSII core is conserved whereas the organization of ACPII subunits exhibits a distinct pattern, different from those observed so far in PSII of other algae and higher plants. Furthermore, we find a Chl a-binding antenna subunit, CCPII-S, which mediates interaction of ACPII with the PSII core. These results provide a structural basis for the assembly of antennas within the supercomplex and possible excitation energy transfer pathways in cryptophyte algal PSII, shedding light on the diversity of supramolecular organization of photosynthetic machinery.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.IARIAActa Medica Okayama2308-44132024Application of a Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithm to Virtual Machine Migration Control in Multi-Stage Information Processing Systems1318ENYukinobuFukushimaOkayama UniversityYukiKoujitaniOkayama UniversityKazutoshiNakaneNagoya UniversityYutaTarutaniOkayama UniversityCelimugeWuThe Univ. of Electro-Commun.YushengJiNational Institute of InformaticsTokumiYokohiraOkayama UniversityTutomuMuraseNagoya UniversityThis paper tackles a Virtual Machine (VM) migration control problem to maximize the progress (accuracy) of information processing tasks in multi-stage information processing systems. The conventional methods for this problem (e.g., VM sweeping method and VM number averaging method) are effective only for specific situations, such as when the system load is high. In this paper, in order to achieve high accuracy in various situations, we propose a VM migration method using a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithm. It is difficult to directly apply a DRL algorithm to the VM migration control problem because the size of the solution space of the problem dynamically changes according to the number of VMs staying in the system while the size of the agent’s action space is fixed in DRL algorithms. Therefore, the proposed method divides the VM migration control problem into two problems: the problem of determining only the VM distribution (i.e., the proportion of the number of VMs deployed on each edge server) and the problem of determining the locations of all the VMs so that it follows the determined VM distribution. The former problem is solved by a DRL algorithm, and the latter problem is solved by a heuristic method. The simulation results confirm that our proposed method can select quasi-optimal VM locations in various situations with different link delays.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2024The Relationships among Internalized Stigma, Sense of Coherence, and Personal Recovery of Persons with Schizophrenia Living in the CommunityENAyaKURAMOTOGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2024A Study of Model-Based Interface Setup Optimization Algorithm for Concurrently Communicating Access Points in Wireless Local Area NetworkENFatemaAKHTERGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama universityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2024Expression and function of CCN2-derived circRNAs in chondrocytesENSomaKATOGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2024Dual roles of cellular communication network factor6（CCN6）in the invasion and metastasis of oral cancer cells to bone via binding to BMP2 and RANKLENHiroakiHOCHIGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama2078-24891542024A Study of Learning Environment for Initiating Flutter App Development Using Docker191ENSoe ThandarAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityNobuoFunabikiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityLynn HtetAungDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversitySafira AdineKinariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityMustikaMentariDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityKhaing HsuWaiDepartment of Information and Communication Systems, Okayama UniversityThe Flutter framework with Dart programming allows developers to effortlessly build applications for both web and mobile from a single codebase. It enables efficient conversions to native codes for mobile apps and optimized JavaScript for web browsers. Since utilizing a wide range of widgets in Flutter ensures consistent experiences on various devices for users, it becomes crucial in programming education by providing a unified environment for learning app development while reducing the need for platform-specific knowledge. However, the setup of the Flutter environment is challenging for novice students due to its multiple steps, such as installing dependencies and configuring environments. To support independent learning for these students, it is essential to simplify the setup by providing user-friendly instructions and automated tools. In this paper, we present a Docker-based environment for Flutter app developments across Windows, Linux, and Mac through Visual Studio Code, ensuring a unified learning experience. This paper aims to simplify complex configurations and address the obstacles encountered by students when initiating Flutter projects. For the evaluation, we prepared three simple Flutter projects along with the setup environment in a Docker container. Then, we asked 24 Master's students at Okayama University, Japan, to install the environment and modify the source codes in the projects independently by following the given instructions. The results show that all the students successfully completed the assignments, which confirms the efficiency and validity of our proposal.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.