start-ver=1.4
cd-journal=joma
no-vol=238
cd-vols=
no-issue=
article-no=
start-page=113243
end-page=
dt-received=
dt-revised=
dt-accepted=
dt-pub-year=2026
dt-pub=202601
dt-online=
en-article=
kn-article=
en-subject=
kn-subject=
en-title=
kn-title=Bone-enhanced high contrast X-ray images derived from attenuation estimation related to ultra-low energy X-rays – An application of an energy-resolving photon-counting detector (ERPCD)
en-subtitle=
kn-subtitle=
en-abstract=
kn-abstract=Purpose: X-ray diagnosis in medicine is often used for bone diagnosis based on qualitative observation analysis. However, there are often cases where the contrast of bones is reduced because of the existence of soft-tissues, making it difficult to accurately diagnose the bone conditions. Although the algorithm for bone extraction images was proposed using an energy-resolving photon-counting detector (ERPCD), this algorithm can depict “one” bone material (such as hydroxyapatite under the assumption), and it is difficult to adequately depict other components. The purpose of this study is to develop an algorithm for bone-enhanced high-contrast images that can be virtually represented by the attenuation of extremely low-energy X-rays without making any special assumptions.
Methods: High-contrast images were virtually generated based on the attenuation rate of ultra-low energy X-rays. It was determined by fitting the mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) curve to the X-ray attenuation values (μt values) measured at middle (30–40 keV) and high (40–60 keV) energy windows, and extrapolating the μt values to those for the low energy region (E = 5–20 keV). When performing the extrapolation, the effective atomic number (Zeff ) of the object was taken into consideration. The methodology was validated by simulating X-ray projections using a digital human body phantom. The frequency of correspondence between the pixel values in the high-contrast image and the Zeff image was analyzed for each pixel.
Results: We succeeded in creating virtual high-contrast X-ray images that reflect the image contrast of monochromatic X-rays of 5–20 keV. It was confirmed that the pixel values in the high-contrast image corresponding to an Zeff = 7.5 (soft-tissue) were completely separated from those corresponding to an Zeff = 9 (bone). The optimization of the energy related to the high contrast images was performed based on the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) analysis. The high contrast image with 10 keV showed a good CNR value.
Conclusions: Based on the analysis of the attenuation information of middle and high-energy X-rays measured by ERPCDs, we succeeded in creating a novel algorithm that can generate a virtual monochromatic image with high contrast.
en-copyright=
kn-copyright=
en-aut-name=NishigamiRina
en-aut-sei=Nishigami
en-aut-mei=Rina
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=1
ORCID=
en-aut-name=KimotoNatsumi
en-aut-sei=Kimoto
en-aut-mei=Natsumi
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=2
ORCID=
en-aut-name=AsaharaTakashi
en-aut-sei=Asahara
en-aut-mei=Takashi
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=3
ORCID=
en-aut-name=MaedaTatsuya
en-aut-sei=Maeda
en-aut-mei=Tatsuya
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=4
ORCID=
en-aut-name=KobayashiDaiki
en-aut-sei=Kobayashi
en-aut-mei=Daiki
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=5
ORCID=
en-aut-name=GotoSota
en-aut-sei=Goto
en-aut-mei=Sota
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=6
ORCID=
en-aut-name=HabaTomonobu
en-aut-sei=Haba
en-aut-mei=Tomonobu
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=7
ORCID=
en-aut-name=KanazawaYuki
en-aut-sei=Kanazawa
en-aut-mei=Yuki
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=8
ORCID=
en-aut-name=YamamotoShuichiro
en-aut-sei=Yamamoto
en-aut-mei=Shuichiro
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=9
ORCID=
en-aut-name=HayashiHiroaki
en-aut-sei=Hayashi
en-aut-mei=Hiroaki
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=10
ORCID=
affil-num=1
en-affil=Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University
kn-affil=
affil-num=2
en-affil=Department of Radiological Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Junshin Gakuen University
kn-affil=
affil-num=3
en-affil=Faculty of Health Sciences, Okayama University
kn-affil=
affil-num=4
en-affil=Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University
kn-affil=
affil-num=5
en-affil=Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University
kn-affil=
affil-num=6
en-affil=Faculty of Health Sciences, Kobe Tokiwa University
kn-affil=
affil-num=7
en-affil=Faculty of Radiological Technology, School of Medical Science, Fujita Health University
kn-affil=
affil-num=8
en-affil=Faculty of Life Science, Kumamoto University
kn-affil=
affil-num=9
en-affil=JOB CORPORATION
kn-affil=
affil-num=10
en-affil=College of Transdisciplinary Sciences for Innovation, Kanazawa University
kn-affil=
en-keyword=Medical X-ray diagnosis
kn-keyword=Medical X-ray diagnosis
en-keyword=Photon-counting detector
kn-keyword=Photon-counting detector
en-keyword=High contrast image
kn-keyword=High contrast image
en-keyword=Virtual monochromatic image
kn-keyword=Virtual monochromatic image
en-keyword=Effective atomic number
kn-keyword=Effective atomic number
en-keyword=Ultra-low energy image
kn-keyword=Ultra-low energy image
END
start-ver=1.4
cd-journal=joma
no-vol=15
cd-vols=
no-issue=10
article-no=
start-page=369
end-page=
dt-received=
dt-revised=
dt-accepted=
dt-pub-year=2022
dt-pub=20221007
dt-online=
en-article=
kn-article=
en-subject=
kn-subject=
en-title=
kn-title=A Static Assignment Algorithm of Uniform Jobs to Workers in a User-PC Computing System Using Simultaneous Linear Equations
en-subtitle=
kn-subtitle=
en-abstract=
kn-abstract=Currently, the User-PC computingsystem (UPC) has been studied as a low-cost and high-performance distributed computing platform. It uses idling resources of personal computers (PCs) in a group. The job-worker assignment for minimizing makespan is critical to determine the performance of the UPC system. Some applications need to execute a lot of uniform jobs that use the identical program but with slightly different data, where they take the similar CPU time on a PC. Then, the total CPU time of a worker is almost linear to the number of assigned jobs. In this paper, we propose a static assignment algorithm of uniform jobs to workers in the UPC system, using simultaneous linear equations to find the lower bound on makespan, where every worker requires the same CPU time to complete the assigned jobs. For the evaluations of the proposal, we consider the uniform jobs in three applications. In OpenPose, the CNN-based keypoint estimation program runs with various images of human bodies. In OpenFOAM, the physics simulation program runs with various parameter sets. In code testing, two open-source programs run with various source codes from students for the Android programming learning assistance system (APLAS). Using the proposal, we assigned the jobs to six workers in the testbed UPC system and measured the CPU time. The results show that makespan was reduced by 10% on average, which confirms the effectiveness of the proposal.
en-copyright=
kn-copyright=
en-aut-name=ZhouXudong
en-aut-sei=Zhou
en-aut-mei=Xudong
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=1
ORCID=
en-aut-name=FunabikiNobuo
en-aut-sei=Funabiki
en-aut-mei=Nobuo
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=2
ORCID=
en-aut-name=HtetHein
en-aut-sei=Htet
en-aut-mei=Hein
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=3
ORCID=
en-aut-name=KamoyedjiAriel
en-aut-sei=Kamoyedji
en-aut-mei=Ariel
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=4
ORCID=
en-aut-name=AnggrainiIrin Tri
en-aut-sei=Anggraini
en-aut-mei=Irin Tri
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=5
ORCID=
en-aut-name=HuoYuanzhi
en-aut-sei=Huo
en-aut-mei=Yuanzhi
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=6
ORCID=
en-aut-name=SyaifudinYan Watequlis
en-aut-sei=Syaifudin
en-aut-mei=Yan Watequlis
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=7
ORCID=
affil-num=1
en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University
kn-affil=
affil-num=2
en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University
kn-affil=
affil-num=3
en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University
kn-affil=
affil-num=4
en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University
kn-affil=
affil-num=5
en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University
kn-affil=
affil-num=6
en-affil=Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University
kn-affil=
affil-num=7
en-affil=Information Technology Department, State Polytechnic of Malang
kn-affil=
en-keyword=UPC
kn-keyword=UPC
en-keyword=distributed computing platform
kn-keyword=distributed computing platform
en-keyword=uniform job
kn-keyword=uniform job
en-keyword=static assignment
kn-keyword=static assignment
en-keyword=linear equations
kn-keyword=linear equations
END
start-ver=1.4
cd-journal=joma
no-vol=28
cd-vols=
no-issue=2
article-no=
start-page=23
end-page=37
dt-received=
dt-revised=
dt-accepted=
dt-pub-year=1996
dt-pub=19960828
dt-online=
en-article=
kn-article=
en-subject=
kn-subject=
en-title=On the Factors Which Induce Chinese Students to Obtain Employment in Japan
kn-title=中国人留学生の日本での就職意志
en-subtitle=
kn-subtitle=
en-abstract=
kn-abstract=The present study examines the difference of consciousness between the two groups of Chinese students. The first group consists of the students who want to go back to China after their studies in Japan and to obtain employment in their own country. The second group is formed by the students who want to have a job in Japan when their studies are completed. We try to make a comparison between the consciouness of the two
groups so that we can clarify the influencial factors on their decision to stay in Japan in order to obtain employment in Japanese enterprises. This paper has revealed that the following factors are remarkable among the second group: 1) experience of longer period of stay in Japan, 2) life under comparatively affluent circumstances, and 3) "friendly" feelings towards the Japanese society. Their wish to work in Japan seems to be closely related with their hope to keep on living in Japan. The former study, Oka & Fukada[1994a], supports the results of this study as far as the above factors 1) and 2) are concerned. The former study has no data on 3). As for "sex", one of the factors, the results of the
two studies are contradictory. That is, the former study shows that "sex" is an influencial factor, while the present study says it is not.
en-copyright=
kn-copyright=
en-aut-name=OkaMasumi
en-aut-sei=Oka
en-aut-mei=Masumi
kn-aut-name=岡益巳
kn-aut-sei=岡
kn-aut-mei=益巳
aut-affil-num=1
ORCID=
en-aut-name=FukadaHiromi
en-aut-sei=Fukada
en-aut-mei=Hiromi
kn-aut-name=深田博己
kn-aut-sei=深田
kn-aut-mei=博己
aut-affil-num=2
ORCID=
affil-num=1
en-affil=
kn-affil=
affil-num=2
en-affil=
kn-affil=広島大学教育学部,社会心理学専攻
END
start-ver=1.4
cd-journal=joma
no-vol=62
cd-vols=
no-issue=2
article-no=
start-page=83
end-page=91
dt-received=
dt-revised=
dt-accepted=
dt-pub-year=2008
dt-pub=200804
dt-online=
en-article=
kn-article=
en-subject=
kn-subject=
en-title=
kn-title=Job strain and smoking cessation among Japanese male employees: a two-year follow-up study
en-subtitle=
kn-subtitle=
en-abstract=
kn-abstract=
The purpose of the present study was to assess the association between job strain and smoking cessation among Japanese male employees. In 1997, a baseline questionnaire was given to 2,625 (2,113 males and 512 females) employees of an electronics firm in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The self-administered questionnaire was a set of questions on smoking habits and consisted of items on socio-demographic variables and smoking habits, including the Japanese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). The JCQ consists of scales of job control, job demand, supervisory support, coworker support, job insecurity, physical demands, and isometric load. A total of 733 male smokers were then followed for 2 years, with 446 completing a follow-up questionnaire in 1999 (follow-up rate, 61%). Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between job strain and smoking cessation. Among the 446 participants, 38 had quit smoking. After adjusting for age ((odds ratio: OR) = 0.38, 95% (contidence interval: CI) = 0.15-0.94), men with a high level of physical demands at baseline showed a lower smoking cessation rate at follow-up than did those with a low level. However, when adjustments were made for age and other socio-demographic variables, the odds ratio of smoking cessation showed marginal significance (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.16-1.29). There was no significant association between other job strain variables and smoking cessation at the 2-year follow-up. No significant association was found between job strain and change in the number of smoked cigarettes per day. The present study did not support the hypothesis that higher levels of job stressors are associated with a lower rate of smoking cessation among men.
en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=FukuokaEtsuko en-aut-sei=Fukuoka en-aut-mei=Etsuko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=HirokawaKumi en-aut-sei=Hirokawa en-aut-mei=Kumi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=KawakamiNorito en-aut-sei=Kawakami en-aut-mei=Norito kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=TsuchiyaMasao en-aut-sei=Tsuchiya en-aut-mei=Masao kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=HarataniTakashi en-aut-sei=Haratani en-aut-mei=Takashi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=KobayashiFumio en-aut-sei=Kobayashi en-aut-mei=Fumio kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=ArakiShunichi en-aut-sei=Araki en-aut-mei=Shunichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=DoiHiroyuki en-aut-sei=Doi en-aut-mei=Hiroyuki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Department of Psychology, Fukuyama University affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=Department of Mental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, and Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences affil-num=5 en-affil= kn-affil=Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health affil-num=6 en-affil= kn-affil=Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Aichi Medical University affil-num=7 en-affil= kn-affil=Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health affil-num=8 en-affil= kn-affil=Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences en-keyword=job strain kn-keyword=job strain en-keyword=smoking kn-keyword=smoking en-keyword=worksite support kn-keyword=worksite support en-keyword=physical demands kn-keyword=physical demands en-keyword=prospective cohort study kn-keyword=prospective cohort study END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol= cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page= end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2007 dt-pub=20070323 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title=上司の傾聴態度・スキルと部下の仕事のストレスとメンタルヘルスの関連 kn-title=Supervisors’ attitudes and skills for active listening with regard to job stress and psychological stress reactions among subordinate workers en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=We investigated whether supervisors' listening attitudes and skills were related to working conditions and psychological stress reactions among their subordinates. The subjects included 41 male supervisors and their immediate subordinates (n=203). The supervisors completed a short version of the Active Listening Attitude Scale (ALAS) consisting of two subscales: Listening Attitude and Listening Skill for Active Listening. The subordinates rated working conditions and their psychological stress reactions using selected scales of the Job Content Questionnaire and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Those subordinates who worked under supervisors with a higher score of Listening Attitude and Listening Skill reported a more favorable psychological stress reaction than those who worked under supervisors with a lower score of Listening Attitude and Listening Skill. Those subordinates who worked under supervisors with a higher score of Listening Skill reported higher worksite support than those who worked under supervisors with a lower score of Listening Skill. Those subordinates who worked under supervisors with a higher score of Listening Attitude reported higher job control than those who worked under supervisors with a lower score of Listening Attitude. A supervisor's listening attitude and skill appeared to affect psychological stress reactions predominantly among male subordinates than among female subordinates. Psychological stress reactions were lower among younger subordinates who worked under supervisors with high listening skill, while no statistically difference was observed among older subordinates. These findings suggest that a supervisor's listening attitude and skill have an effect on working conditions and psychological stress reactions among subordinates and that the effects vary according to the subordinates' sex and age. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=MineyamaSachiko en-aut-sei=Mineyama en-aut-mei=Sachiko kn-aut-name=峰山幸子 kn-aut-sei=峰山 kn-aut-mei=幸子 aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=岡山大学 en-keyword=Active Listening kn-keyword=Active Listening en-keyword=Active Listening Attitude Scale (ALAS) kn-keyword=Active Listening Attitude Scale (ALAS) en-keyword=Supervisory support kn-keyword=Supervisory support en-keyword=Psychological stress reaction kn-keyword=Psychological stress reaction en-keyword=Working conditon kn-keyword=Working conditon END