Spectroscopic confirmation and photometry of the first reported nova in NGC 147

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabrika, S.; Vinokurov, A.; Solovyeva, Yu.; Valeev, A. F.; Makarov, D. I.; Hornoch, K.; Kucakova, H.; Korotkiy, S.; Henze, M.; Shafter, A. W.

2017-12-01

We report optical spectroscopic confirmation of the recent nova TCP J00333837+4836022 in the Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxy NGC 147. The nova was discovered 2017 Dec. 22.4056 UT by K. Itagaki (Yamagata, Japan).

Hinode Satellite Captures Total Solar Eclipse Video Aug. 21

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-21

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and NASA released this video of Aug. 21 total solar eclipse taken by the X-ray telescope aboard the Hinode joint solar observation satellite as it orbited high above the Pacific Ocean.

Japan's Eco-School Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mori, Masayuki

2007-01-01

Since 1997, several ministries in Japan have collaborated on an eco-school programme, which applies to both newly constructed and renovated school buildings, in an effort to make its schools more environmentally friendly. The programme equips school buildings with ecological features such as photovoltaic cells, solar thermal collectors, other new…

The solar UV exposure time required for vitamin D3 synthesis in the human body estimated by numerical simulation and observation in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Hideaki; Miyauchi, Masaatsu; Hirai, Chizuko

2013-04-01

After the discovery of Antarctic ozone hole, the negative effect of exposure of human body to harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is widely known. However, there is positive effect of exposure to UV radiation, i.e., vitamin D synthesis. Although the importance of solar UV radiation for vitamin D3 synthesis in the human body is well known, the solar exposure time required to prevent vitamin D deficiency has not been well determined. This study attempted to identify the time of solar exposure required for vitamin D3 synthesis in the body by season, time of day, and geographic location (Sapporo, Tsukuba, and Naha, in Japan) using both numerical simulations and observations. According to the numerical simulation for Tsukuba at noon in July under a cloudless sky, 2.3 min of solar exposure are required to produce 5.5 μg vitamin D3 per 600 cm2 skin. This quantity of vitamin D represents the recommended intake for an adult by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the 2010 Japanese Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). In contrast, it took 49.5 min to produce the same amount of vitamin D3 at Sapporo in the northern part of Japan in December, at noon under a cloudless sky. The necessary exposure time varied considerably with the time of the day. For Tsukuba at noon in December, 14.5 min were required, but at 09:00 68.7 min were required and at 15:00 175.8 min were required for the same meteorological conditions. Naha receives high levels of UV radiation allowing vitamin D3 synthesis almost throughout the year. According to our results, we are further developing an index to quantify the necessary time of UV radiation exposure to produce required amount of vitamin D3 from a UV radiation data.

Basic Solar Energy Research in Japan (2011 EFRC Forum)

ScienceCinema

Domen, Kazunari

2018-02-06

Kazunari Domen, Chemical System Engineering Professor at the University of Tokyo, was the second speaker in the May 26, 2011 EFRC Forum session, "Global Perspectives on Frontiers in Energy Research." In his presentation, Professor Domen talked about basic solar energy research in Japan. The 2011 EFRC Summit and Forum brought together the EFRC community and science and policy leaders from universities, national laboratories, industry and government to discuss "Science for our Nation's Energy Future." In August 2009, the Office of Science established 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers. The EFRCs are collaborative research efforts intended to accelerate high-risk, high-reward fundamental research, the scientific basis for transformative energy technologies of the future. These Centers involve universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit firms, singly or in partnerships, selected by scientific peer review. They are funded at $2 to $5 million per year for a total planned DOE commitment of $777 million over the initial five-year award period, pending Congressional appropriations. These integrated, multi-investigator Centers are conducting fundamental research focusing on one or more of several “grand challenges” and use-inspired “basic research needs” recently identified in major strategic planning efforts by the scientific community. The purpose of the EFRCs is to integrate the talents and expertise of leading scientists in a setting designed to accelerate research that transforms the future of energy and the environment.

Effects of large scale integration of wind and solar energy in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esteban, Miguel; Zhang, Qi; Utama, Agya; Tezuka, Tetsuo; Ishihara, Keiichi

2010-05-01

A number of different energy scenarios exist for the development of renewable energy technologies in a variety of countries. Each of these scenarios produces different composition mixes depending on the assumptions on which they are based and the motivation of the authors. These studies are often based on annual data, which make general assumptions about the maximum and minimum output of a range of renewable technologies that are not considered to produce electricity at a predictable rate. These include solar power (which generally varies with the intensity of sunlight) and wind power (depending on the strength of the wind). To take into account the variability in the production of these technologies, many authors assume that the energy production sector cannot whole rely on these technologies, and that enough conventional production capacity (thermo, nuclear or hydro) must exist to cover the essential part of the electricity production. In the present work, the authors used the historical records of wind and solar radiation to estimate the minimum amount of electricity that could be produced by a given composition of renewable energies in the year 2100. The methodology used starts by inputting the geographical location and power rating of each of the power plants in the system. It assumes that PV installations will be located in roof-tops in cities (hence each of the major cities would act as a solar power plant) and that the location of wind farms closely resembles those of today. Wind farms, however, are assumed to use much greater units than those presently used, with each one having a rated power of 20MW. The method then used the historical meteorological data obtained from the Japan Meteorological Agency to compute the power production at each location sequentially for each of the 8760 hours in the year. The results show how although on adverse climate days in certain parts of the country the electricity generation from renewables is greatly reduced, when the

Solar radiation and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Japan.

PubMed

Onozuka, Daisuke; Hagihara, Akihito

2017-11-01

Although several studies have estimated the effects of temperature on mortality and morbidity, little is known regarding the burden of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) attributable to solar radiation. We obtained data for all cases of OHCA and meteorological data reported between 2011 and 2014 in 3 Japanese prefectures: Hokkaido, Ibaraki, and Fukuoka. We first examined the relationship between daily solar radiation and OHCA risk for each prefecture using time-varying distributed lag non-linear models and then pooled the results in a multivariate random-effects meta-analysis. The attributable fractions of OHCA were calculated for low and high solar radiation, defined as solar radiation below and above the minimum morbidity solar radiation, respectively. The minimum morbidity solar radiation was defined as the specific solar radiation associated with the lowest morbidity risk. A total of 49,892 cases of OHCA occurred during the study period. The minimum morbidity solar radiation for each prefecture was the 100th percentile (72.5 MJ/m 2 ) in Hokkaido, the 83rd percentile (59.7 MJ/m 2 ) in Ibaraki, and the 70th percentile (53.8 MJ/m 2 ) in Fukuoka. Overall, 20.00% (95% empirical confidence interval [eCI]: 10.97-27.04) of the OHCA cases were attributable to daily solar radiation. The attributable fraction for low solar radiation was 19.50% (95% eCI: 10.00-26.92), whereas that for high solar radiation was 0.50% (95% eCI: -0.07-1.01). Low solar radiation was associated with a substantial attributable risk for OHCA. Our findings suggest that public health efforts to reduce OHCA burden should consider the solar radiation level. Large prospective studies with longitudinal collection of individual data is required to more conclusively assess the impact of solar radiation on OHCA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NASA Satellite Image of Japan Captured March 11, 2011

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Japan one hour and 41 minutes before the quake hit. At the time Aqua passed overhead, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument captured a visible of Japan covered by clouds. The image was taken at 0405 UTC on March 11 (1:05 p.m. local time Japan /11:05 p.m. EST March 10). The quake hit at 2:46 p.m. local time/Japan. Satellite: Aqua Credit: NASA/GSFC/Aqua NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Join us on Facebook

The solar exposure time required for vitamin D3 synthesis in the human body estimated by numerical simulation and observation in Japan.

PubMed

Miyauchi, Masaatsu; Hirai, Chizuko; Nakajima, Hideaki

2013-01-01

Although the importance of solar radiation for vitamin D3 synthesis in the human body is well known, the solar exposure time required to prevent vitamin D deficiency has not been determined in Japan. This study attempted to identify the time of solar exposure required for vitamin D3 synthesis in the body by season, time of day, and geographic location (Sapporo, Tsukuba, and Naha) using both numerical simulations and observations. According to the numerical simulation for Tsukuba at noon in July under a cloudless sky, 3.5 min of solar exposure are required to produce 5.5 μg vitamin D3 per 600 cm2 skin corresponding to the area of a face and the back of a pair of hands without ingestion from foods. In contrast, it took 76.4 min to produce the same quantity of vitamin D3 at Sapporo in December, at noon under a cloudless sky. The necessary exposure time varied considerably with the time of the day. For Tsukuba at noon in December, 22.4 min were required, but 106.0 min were required at 09:00 and 271.3 min were required at 15:00 for the same meteorological conditions. Naha receives high levels of ultraviolet radiation allowing vitamin D3 synthesis almost throughout the year.

Estimating the Lineage Dynamics of Human Influenza B Viruses.

PubMed

Nyirenda, Mayumbo; Omori, Ryosuke; Tessmer, Heidi L; Arimura, Hiroki; Ito, Kimihito

2016-01-01

The prediction of the lineage dynamics of influenza B viruses for the next season is one of the largest obstacles for constructing an appropriate influenza trivalent vaccine. Seasonal fluctuation of transmissibility and epidemiological interference between the two major influenza B lineages make the lineage dynamics complicated. Here we construct a parsimonious model describing the lineage dynamics while taking into account seasonal fluctuation of transmissibility and epidemiological interference. Using this model we estimated the epidemiological and evolutional parameters with the time-series data of the lineage specific isolates in Japan from the 2010-2011 season to the 2014-2015 season. The basic reproduction number is similar between Victoria and Yamagata, with a minimum value during one year as 0.82 (95% highest posterior density (HPD): 0.77-0.87) for the Yamagata and 0.83 (95% HPD: 0.74-0.92) for Victoria, the amplitude of seasonal variation of the basic reproduction number is 0.77 (95% HPD:0.66-0.87) for Yamagata and 1.05 (95% HPD: 0.89-1.02) for Victoria. The duration for which the acquired immunity is effective against infection by the Yamagata lineage is shorter than the acquired immunity for Victoria, 424.1days (95% HPD:317.4-561.5days). The reduction rate of susceptibility due to immune cross-reaction is 0.51 (95% HPD: 0.084-0.92) for the immunity obtained from the infection with Yamagata against the infection with Victoria and 0.62 (95% HPD: 0.42-0.80) for the immunity obtained from the infection with Victoria against the infection with Yamagata. Using estimated parameters, we predicted the dominant lineage in 2015-2016 season. The accuracy of this prediction is 68.8% if the emergence timings of the two lineages are known and 61.4% if the emergence timings are unknown. Estimated seasonal variation of the lineage specific reproduction number can narrow down the range of emergence timing, with an accuracy of 64.6% if the emergence times are assumed to be

Tropical Storm Toraji Approaching Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Tropical Storm Toraji Approaching Japan, 09/03/2013 at 02:10 UTC. Terra/MODIS NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Observation of the total solar eclipse on 21 June 2001 in Zambia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Noritsugu; Yumoto, Kiyohumi; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi

2002-04-01

On 21 June 2001, path of totality in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Madagascar in Africa. The Japan Scientific Observation Team, consisting primarily of the members of the Solar Eclipse Subcommittee of the Committee for International Collaboration in Astronomy of the Science Council of JAPAN, visited Lusaka in Zambia to observe the total solar eclipse. Blessed with fine weather, the observation was successful. The outline of the influence of solar eclipse on the terrestrial magnetism, polarization of the flash spectrum, and other observation data, as well as the way educational activities were carried out, are reported.

Thermophotovoltaic systems for civilian and industrial applications in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yugami, Hiroo; Sasa, Hiromi; Yamaguchi, Masafumi

2003-05-01

The potential market for thermophotovoltaic (TPV) applications has been studied for civilian and industrial sectors in Japan. Comparing the performance of gas engines or turbines, as well as the underdeveloped power generation technologies such as fuel cells or chemical batteries, we have discussed the feasible application field of TPV systems to compete with those power generations. From the point of view of applicability for TPV systems in Japan, portable generators, co-generation systems and solar power plants are selected for our system analysis. The cost and performance targets of TPV systems for co-generation are also discussed by assuming a typical daily profile of electricity and hot water demands in Japanese homes. A progress report on the recent TPV research activities is given as well as a feasibility study concerning such TPV systems in Japan.

Communicating Solar Astronomy to the public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaji, Kentaro; Solar Observatory NAOJ, The

2015-08-01

The Sun is the nearest star to us, so that the public is greatly interested in the Sun itself and in solar activity. The Solar Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is one of the solar research divisions. Various data of the Sun obtained with our instruments, systematically accumulated more than one hundred years since 1910s, are open to not only researchers but also the public as online database. So, we have many chances that the public request solar images for the education and the media. In addition, we release daily solar observation informations on the web and with social media and guide visitors to our observation facilities. It is reviewed about the public relations and outreach activities of the Solar Observatory, including recent solar observation topics.

Japanese Next Solar Mission: SOLAR-C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakao, T.; Solar-C, W. G.

2008-09-01

We present introductory overview on the next Japanese solar mission, SOLAR-C, which has been envisaged following the success of Hinode (SOLAR-B) mission. Two plans, Plan A and Plan B, are under extensive study from science objectives as well as engineering point of view. Plan A aims to perform out-of-ecliptic observations for investigating, with helioseismic approach, internal structure and dynamo mechanisms of the Sun. It also explores polar regions where fast solar wind is believed to be originated. The baseline orbit for Plan A is a circular orbit of 1 AU distance from the Sun, with its inclination at around, or greater than, 40 degrees. Plan B pursues small-scale plasma processes and structures in the solar atmosphere which attract growing interest, following Hinode discoveries, for understanding fully dynamism and magnetic nature of the atmosphere. With Plan B, high-angular-resolution investigation of the entire solar atmosphere (from the photosphere to the corona, including their interface layers, i.e., chromosphere and transition region) is to be performed with enhanced spectroscopic and spectro-polarimetric capability as compared with Hinode, together with enhanced sensitivity towards ultra-violet wavelengths. There has been wide and evolving support for the SOLAR-C mission not only from solar physics community but also from related research areas in Japan. We request SOLAR-C to be launched in mid. 2010s. Following the highly-successful achievements of international collaboration for Yohkoh and Hinode, we strongly hope the SOLAR-C mission be realized under extensive collaboration with European and U.S. partners. Japanese SOLAR-C working group was officially approved by ISAS/JAXA in December 2007 for mission studies and promoting international collaboration. It is expected that a single mission plan is to be proposed after one year of investigation on Plan A and Plan B.

Variation of the Solar Microwave Spectrum in the Last Half Century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shimojo, Masumi; Saito, Masao; Iwai, Kazumasa

The total solar fluxes at 1, 2, 3.75, and 9.4 GHz were observed continuously from 1957 to 1994 at Toyokawa, Japan, and from 1994 until now at Nobeyama, Japan, with the current Nobeyama Radio Polarimeters. We examined the multi-frequency and long-term data sets, and found that not only the microwave solar flux but also its monthly standard deviation indicate the long-term variation of solar activity. Furthermore, we found that the microwave spectra at the solar minima of Cycles 20–24 agree with each other. These results show that the average atmospheric structure above the upper chromosphere in the quiet-Sun has notmore » varied for half a century, and suggest that the energy input for atmospheric heating from the sub-photosphere to the corona have not changed in the quiet-Sun despite significantly differing strengths of magnetic activity in the last five solar cycles.« less

Measuring the inequalities in radiotherapy health resources in Japan: comparison of the Hokkaido-Tohoku and Tokyo districts.

PubMed

Ohba, Hisateru; Narumi, Masakazu; Hosokawa, Yoichiro; Aoki, Masahiko

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to measure and compare the geographical inequalities in radiotherapy health resources between the Hokkaido-Tohoku and Tokyo districts of Japan. The numbers of radiotherapy facilities, radiologists, and radiological technologists were used to represent radiotherapy health resources. The target areas were 11 prefectures in the Hokkaido-Tohoku and Tokyo districts. The Gini coefficient (GC) was used to measure inequalities in health resources in relation to the population and area of each secondary medical care zone. Correlation analysis was performed to clarify the relation between the GC and the all-cancer mortality rate per 100,000 people. The mean population and area GCs of Yamagata Prefecture were the smallest, whereas the mean population GC of Tokyo and the mean area GC of Hokkaido were the largest. The mean GCs of radiotherapy facilities and radiological technologists were higher in the Tokyo district than in the Hokkaido-Tohoku district. No significant correlation was found between GC and cancer mortality. Geographical inequalities in radiotherapy health resources tended to be larger in the Tokyo district than in the Hokkaido-Tohoku district. It is expected that the radiotherapy system will be substantially improved by the Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs.

First Solar Power Sail Demonstration by IKAROS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, Osamu; Sawada, Hirotaka; Funase, Ryu; Morimoto, Mutsuko; Endo, Tatsuya; Yamamoto, Takayuki; Tsuda, Yuichi; Kawakatsu, Yasuhiro; Kawaguchi, Jun'ichiro; Miyazaki, Yasuyuki; Shirasawa, Yoji; Demonstration Team; Solar Sail Working Group, Ikaros

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will make the world's first solar power sail craft demonstration of photon propulsion and thin film solar power generation during its interplanetary cruise by IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun). The spacecraft deploys and spans a membrane of 20 meters in diameter taking the advantage of the spin centrifugal force. The spacecraft weighs approximately 310kg, launched together with the agency's Venus Climate Orbiter, AKATSUKI in May 2010. This will be the first actual solar sail flying an interplanetary voyage.

Thermophotovoltaic potential applications for civilian and industrial use in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hiromi; Yamaguchi, Masafumi

1999-03-01

Investigative research on potential market for TPV power sources in Japan has been focused on how TPV can contribute to energy conservation and environmental protection and harmony. The application needs for TPV were surveyed in comparison with conventional engine or turbine generators and developing power generation technologies such as fuel cells or chemical batteries, etc. The investigation on the performance of commercial generators shows that regarding system efficiency, TPV can compete with conventional generators in the output power class of tens of kW. According to the sales for small scale generators in Japan, most of the generators below 10 kW class are utilized mainly for construction, communication, leisure, and that 10-100 kW class generators are for cogeneration in small buildings. Waste heat recovery in dispersed furnaces is another potential application of compact TPV cells. Exhaust heat from small scale incinerators and industrial furnaces is undesirable to be recorded into electricity due to excessive heat loss of the smaller steam turbine generators. Solar powered TPV is also of our concern as a natural energy use. From the viewpoint of applicability for TPV, portable generators cogeneration systems, and solar power plants were selected for our system consideration. Intermediate report on the feasibility study concerning such TPV systems is given as well as the review of the current status of competing power generation technologies in Japan.

Japan.

PubMed

1987-02-01

Japan is composed of 4 main islands and more than 3900 smaller islands and has 317.7 persons/square kilometer. This makes it one of the most densely populated nations in the world. Religion is an important force in the life of the Japanese and most consider themselves Buddhists. Schooling is free through junior high but 90% of Japanese students complete high school. In fact, Japan enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the world. There are over 178 newspapers and 3500 magazines published in Japan and the number of new book titles issued each year is greater than that in the US. Since WW1, Japan expanded its influence in Asia and its holdings in the Pacific. However, as a direct result of WW2, Japan lost all of its overseas possessions and was able to retain only its own islands. Since 1952, Japan has been ruled by conservative governments which cooperate closely with the West. Great economic growth has come since the post-treaty period. Japan as a constitutional monarchy operates within the framework of a constitution which became effective in May 1947. Executive power is vested in a cabinet which includes the prime minister and the ministers of state. Japan is one of the most politically stable of the postwar democracies and the Liberal Democratic Party is representative of Japanese moderate conservatism. The economy of Japan is strong and growing. With few resources, there is only 19% of Japanese land suitable for cultivation. Its exports earn only about 19% of the country's gross national product. More than 59 million workers comprise Japan's labor force, 40% of whom are women. Japan and the US are strongly linked trading partners and after Canada, Japan is the largest trading partner of the US. Foreign policy since 1952 has fostered close cooperation with the West and Japan is vitally interested in good relations with its neighbors. Relations with the Soviet Union are not close although Japan is attempting to improve the situation. US policy is based on

Japan.

PubMed

1989-02-01

Japan consists of 3900 islands and lies off the east coast of Asia. Even though Japan is one of the most densely populated nations in the world, its growth rate has stabilized at .5%. 94% of all children go to senior high school and almost 90% finish. Responsibility for the sick, aged, and infirmed is changing from the family and private sector to government. Japan was founded in 600 BC and its 1st capital was in Nara (710-1867). The Portuguese, the 1st Westerners to make contact with Japan in 1542, opened trade which lasted until the mid 17th century. US Navy Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan to reopen in 1854. Following wars with China and Russia in the late 1800s and early 1900s respectively, Japan took part in World Wars I and II. In between these wars Japan invaded Manchuria and China. The US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Japanese surrendered in September, 1945 ending World War II (WWII). Following, WWII, the Allied Powers guided Japan's establishment as a nonthreatening nation and a democratic parliamentary government (a constitutional monarchy) with a limited defense force. Japan remains one of the most politically stable of all postwar democracies. The Liberal Democratic Party's Noboru Takeshita became prime minister in 1987. Japan has limited natural resources and only 19% of the land is arable. Japanese ingenuity and skill combine to produce one of the highest per hectare crop yields in the world. Japan is a major economic power, and its and the US economies are becoming more interdependent. Its exports, making up only 13% of the gross national product, mainly go to Canada and the US. Many in the US are concerned, however, with the trade deficit with Japan and are seeking ways to make trade more equitable. Japan wishes to maintain good relations with its Asian neighbors and other nations. The US and Japan enjoy a strong, productive relationship.

Solar wind structure out of the ecliptic plane over solar cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokol, J. M.; Bzowski, M.; Tokumaru, M.

2017-12-01

Sun constantly emits a stream of plasma known as solar wind. Ground-based observations of the solar wind speed through the interplanetary scintillations (IPS) of radio flux from distant point sources and in-situ measurements by Ulysses mission revealed that the solar wind flow has different characteristics depending on the latitude. This latitudinal structure evolves with the cycle of solar activity. The knowledge on the evolution of solar wind structure is important for understanding the interaction between the interstellar medium surrounding the Sun and the solar wind, which is responsible for creation of the heliosphere. The solar wind structure must be taken into account in interpretation of most of the observations of heliospheric energetic neutral atoms, interstellar neutral atoms, pickup ions, and heliospheric backscatter glow. The information on the solar wind structure is not any longer available from direct measurements after the termination of Ulysses mission and the only source of the solar wind out of the ecliptic plane is the IPS observations. However, the solar wind structure obtained from this method contains inevitable gaps in the time- and heliolatitude coverage. Sokół et al 2015 used the solar wind speed data out of the ecliptic plane retrieved from the IPS observations performed by Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (Nagoya University, Japan) and developed a methodology to construct a model of evolution of solar wind speed and density from 1985 to 2013 that fills the data gaps. In this paper we will present a refined model of the solar wind speed and density structure as a function of heliographic latitude updated by the most recent data from IPS observations. And we will discuss methods of extrapolation of the solar wind structure out of the ecliptic plane for the past solar cycles, when the data were not available, as well as forecasting for few years upward.

The SOLAR-C Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suematsu, Y.

2015-12-01

The Solar-C is a Japan-led international solar mission planned to be launched in mid2020. It is designed to investigate the magnetic activities of the Sun, focusing on the study in heating and dynamical phenomena of the chromosphere and corona, and also to develop an algorithm for predicting short and long term solar evolution. Since it has been revealed that the different parts of the magnetized solar atmosphere are essentially coupled, the SOLAR-C should tackle the spatial scales and temperature regimes that need to be observed in order to achieve a comprehensive physical understanding of this coupling. The science of Solar-C will greatly advance our understanding of the Sun, of basic physical processes operating throughout the universe. To dramatically improve the situation, SOLAR-C will carry three dedicated instruments; the Solar UV-Vis-IR Telescope (SUVIT), the EUV Spectroscopic Telescope (EUVST) and the High Resolution Coronal Imager (HCI), to jointly observe the entire visible solar atmosphere with essentially the same high spatial resolution (0.1-0.3 arcsec), performing high resolution spectroscopic measurements over all atmospheric regions and spectro-polarimetric measurements from the photosphere through the upper chromosphere. In addition, Solar-C will contribute to our understanding on the influence of the Sun-Earth environments with synergetic wide-field observations from ground-based and other space missions. Some leading science objectives and the mission concept, including designs of the three instruments aboard SOLAR-C will be presented.

Peak-Power Markets for Satellite Solar Power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landis, G.

2002-01-01

Aman MOSTAVANNobuyuki KAYA Institut Teknologi Bandung (TF)Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Ganesha 10; Bandung 40132, IndonesiaKobe 657, Japan mostavan@tf.itb.ac.idkaya@kobe-u.ac.jp This paper introduces first Indonesia, comprises 15 000 islands, has land area of two millions square kilometers. Extending from 95 to 141 degrees East longitude and from 6 degrees North to 11 degrees South latitude. Further the market of the Space Solar Power/SPS must be worldwide, including Indonesia. As we know, it can provide electricity anywhere in the world from the Earth's orbit, mostly Indonesia an equator country. We have to perform case studies of various countries to understand their benefits and disadvantages provided by the SSP, because each country has much different condition on energy from other countries. We are at the moment starting the international collaboration between Indonesia and Japan to carry out the case study for Indonesia. We understand that in Indonesia itself each province has much different micro-climate between one province compared to the other. In Japan, METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has already organized a committee to investigate the feasibility of Space Solar Power and to make a plan to launch a space demonstration of the SPS. While, Indonesia is quickly developing economy and increasing their energy demand. We are investigating the detailed energy conditions of Indonesia, the benefits and disadvantages of the Space Solar Power for Indonesia. Especially, we will perform the investigation on the receiving system for the Japanese pilot Space Power Satellite.

Long period astronomical cycles from the Triassic to Jurassic bedded chert sequence (Inuyama, Japan); Geologic evidences for the chaotic behavior of solar planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Masayuki; Tada, Ryuji

2013-04-01

Astronomical theory predicts that ~2 Myr eccentricity cycle have changed its periodicity and amplitude through time because of the chaotic behavior of solar planets, especially Earth-Mars secular resonance. Although the ~2 Myr eccentricity cycle has been occasionally recognized in geological records, their frequency transitions have never been reported. To explore the frequency evolution of ~2 Myr eccentricity cycle, we used the bedded chert sequence in Inuyama, Japan, of which rhythms were proven to be of astronomical origin, covering the ~30 Myr long spanning from the Triassic to Jurassic. The frequency modulation of ~2 Myr cycle between ~1.6 and ~1.8 Myr periodicity detected from wavelet analysis of chert bed thickness variation are the first geologic record of chaotic transition of Earth-Mars secular resonance. The frequency modulation of ~2 Myr cycle will provide new constraints for the orbital models. Additionally, ~8 Myr cycle detected as chert bed thickness variation and its amplitude modulation of ~2 Myr cycle may be related to the amplitude modulation of ~2 Myr eccentricity cycle through non-linear process(es) of Earth system dynamics, suggesting possible impact of the chaotic behavior of Solar planets on climate change.

Solar B/Hinode Image of Sunspot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Hinode (Sunrise), formerly known as Solar-B before reaching orbit, was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan on September 23, 2006. Hinode was designed to probe into the Sun's magnetic field to better understand the origin of solar disturbances which interfere with satellite communications, electrical power transmission grids, and the safety of astronauts traveling beyond the Earth's magnetic field. Hinode is circling Earth in a polar orbit that places the instruments in continuous sunlight for nine months each year and allows data dumps to a high latitude European Space Agency (ESA) ground station every orbit. NASA and other science teams will support instrument operations and data collection from the spacecraft's operation center at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA's) Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science facility located in Tokyo. The Hinode spacecraft is a collaboration among space agencies of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) managed development of three instruments comprising the spacecraft; the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT); the X-Ray Telescope (XRT); and the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imaging Spectrometer (EIS). This image of a sunspot, taken by Hinode, is a prime example of what the spacecraft can offer.

International Energy Agency instrumented facilities survey for solar assisted low energy dwellings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1982-02-01

Compiled are surveys outlining the instrumentation of 38 active and passive solar projects in 9 countries (Denmark, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and West Germany). After the surveys themselves are presented, the data are rearranged to compare answers from similar survey questions for each of the projects. These questions address building, solar system and instrumentation descriptions and meteorological, solar system and building system instrumentatation capabilities. (LEW)

The SOLAR-C Mission: Science Objectives and Current Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suematsu, Y.; Solar-C Working Group

2016-04-01

The SOLAR-C is a Japan-led international solar mission for mid-2020s designed to investigate the magnetic activities of the Sun, focusing on the study in heating and dynamical phenomena of the chromosphere and corona, and to advance algorithms for predicting short and long term solar magnetic activities. For these purposes, SOLAR-C will carry three dedicated instruments; the Solar UV-Vis-IR Telescope (SUVIT), the EUV Spectroscopic Telescope (EUVST) and the High Resolution Coronal Imager (HCI), to jointly observe the entire visible solar atmosphere with essentially the same high spatial resolution (0.1"-0.3"), performing high resolution spectroscopic measurements over all atmospheric regions and spectro-polarimetric measurements from the photosphere through the upper chromosphere. SOLAR-C will also contribute to understand the solar influence on the Sun-Earth environments with synergetic wide-field observations from ground-based and other space missions.

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Contributes to Solar B/Hinode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Hinode (Sunrise), formerly known as Solar-B before reaching orbit, was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan on September 23, 2006. Hinode was designed to probe into the Sun's magnetic field to better understand the origin of solar disturbances which interfere with satellite communications, electrical power transmission grids, and the safety of astronauts traveling beyond the Earth's magnetic field. Hinode is circling Earth in a polar orbit that places the instruments in continuous sunlight for nine months each year and allows data dumps to a high latitude European Space Agency (ESA) ground station every orbit. NASA and other science teams will support instrument operations and data collection from the spacecraft's operation center at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA's) Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science facility located in Tokyo. The Hinode spacecraft is a collaboration among space agencies of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) managed development of three instruments comprising the spacecraft; the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT); the X-Ray Telescope (XRT); and the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imaging Spectrometer (EIS). Provided by the Multimedia support group at MSFC, this rendering illustrates the Solar-B Spacecraft in earth orbit with its solar panels completely extended.

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Contributes to Solar B/Hinode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Hinode (Sunrise), formerly known as Solar-B before reaching orbit, was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan on September 23, 2006. Hinode was designed to probe into the Sun's magnetic field to better understand the origin of solar disturbances which interfere with satellite communications, electrical power transmission grids, and the safety of astronauts traveling beyond the Earth's magnetic field. Hinode is circling Earth in a polar orbit that places the instruments in continuous sunlight for nine months each year and allows data dumps to a high latitude European Space Agency (ESA) ground station every orbit. NASA and other science teams will support instrument operations and data collection from the spacecraft's operation center at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA's) Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science facility located in Tokyo. The Hinode spacecraft is a collaboration among space agencies of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) managed development of three instruments comprising the spacecraft; the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT); the X-Ray Telescope (XRT); and the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imaging Spectrometer (EIS). Provided by the Multimedia support group at MSFC, this rendering illustrates the Solar-B Spacecraft in earth orbit with its solar panels partially extended.

Neuraminidase inhibitor susceptibility and evolutionary analysis of human influenza B isolates from three Asian countries during 2012-2015.

PubMed

Hibino, Akinobu; Massaad, Elie; Kondo, Hiroki; Saito, Reiko; Odagiri, Takashi; Takemae, Nobuhiro; Tsunekuni, Ryota; Saito, Takehiko; Kyaw, Yadanar; Lin, Nay; Myint, Yi Yi; Tin, Htay Htay; Le Khanh Hang, Nguyen; Mai, Le Quynh; Yagami, Ren; Shobugawa, Yugo; Lam, Tommy; Zaraket, Hassan

2018-04-14

Influenza B viruses of both the Yamagata and the Victoria lineages are implicated in a large proportion of the morbidity and mortality associated with influenza outbreaks. In this study, we characterized the full genomes of 53 influenza B viruses isolated during 2012-2015 in three Asian countries: Japan, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) genes revealed co-circulation of both the Yamagata and Victoria lineages within the same season in these countries. Our analysis revealed, that a large proportion of viruses circulating during 2013-2014 in Japan and Vietnam were mismatched to the vaccine supporting the rationale for using quadrivalent vaccines. Molecular analysis of the neuraminidase (NA) genes did not reveal any of the previously reported substitutions associated with reduced susceptibility to neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs). However, one isolate from Nagasaki displayed reduced inhibition by NAIs, associated with an NA-M426I substitution (N2-numbering). Phylogenetic analysis of the eight genome segments identified a 6 + 2 reassortant strain belonging to the Victoria lineage that circulated in Japan during the 2013-2014 season. This strain appears to have evolved from a descendent of a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like strain in an intra-lineage reassortment event involving the nucleoprotein (NP) and nonstructural (NS) genes. Therefore, influenza B strains circulating worldwide continue to evolve via complex reassortment events, which contribute to their survival and the emergence of new strains. These findings highlight the need for ongoing genome-wide studies of circulating viruses and assessing the implications of these evolutionary events on the vaccines. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Solar Station for Education and Research on Solar Activity at a National University in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishitsuka, J. K.

2006-11-01

pepe@geo.igp.gob.pe Beginning in 1937, the Carnegie Institution of Washington made active regional observations with a spectro-helioscope at the Huancayo Observatory. In 1957, during the celebration of the International Geophysical Year Mutsumi Ishitsuka arrived at the Geophysical Institute of Peru and restarted solar observations from the Huancayo Observatory. Almost 69 years have passed and many contributions for the geophysical and solar sciences have been made. Now the Instituto Geofisico del Peru (IGP), in cooperation with the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga de Ica (UNICA), and with the support of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, are planning to construct a solar station refurbishing a coelostat that worked for many years at the Huancayo Observatory. A 15 cm refractor telescope is already installed at the university, for the observation of sunspots. A solar Flare Monitor Telescope (FMT) from Hida Observatory of Kyoto University could be sent to Peru and installed at the solar station at UNICA. As the refurbished coelostat, FMT will become a good tool to improve education and research in sciences.

Iwahashi Zenbei's Sunspot Drawings in 1793 in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayakawa, Hisashi; Iwahashi, Kiyomi; Tamazawa, Harufumi; Toriumi, Shin; Shibata, Kazunari

2018-01-01

Three Japanese sunspot drawings associated with Iwahashi Zenbei (1756 - 1811) are shown here from contemporary manuscripts and woodprint documents with the relevant texts. We reveal the observational date of one of the drawings to be 26 August 1793, and the overall observations lasted for over a year. Moreover, we identify the observational site for the dated drawing as Fushimi in Japan. We then compare Zenbei's observations with the group sunspot number and the raw group count from the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations (SILSO) to reveal the context of the data, and we conclude that these drawings fill gaps in our understanding that are due to the fragmental sunspot observations around 1793. These drawings are important as a clue to evaluate astronomical knowledge of contemporary Japan in the late eighteenth century and are valuable as a non-European observation, considering that most sunspot observations up to the middle of the nineteenth century are from Europe.

Forecast Method of Solar Irradiance with Just-In-Time Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Takanobu; Goto, Yusuke; Terazono, Takahiro; Wakao, Shinji; Oozeki, Takashi

PV power output mainly depends on the solar irradiance which is affected by various meteorological factors. So, it is required to predict solar irradiance in the future for the efficient operation of PV systems. In this paper, we develop a novel approach for solar irradiance forecast, in which we introduce to combine the black-box model (JIT Modeling) with the physical model (GPV data). We investigate the predictive accuracy of solar irradiance over wide controlled-area of each electric power company by utilizing the measured data on the 44 observation points throughout Japan offered by JMA and the 64 points around Kanto by NEDO. Finally, we propose the application forecast method of solar irradiance to the point which is difficulty in compiling the database. And we consider the influence of different GPV default time on solar irradiance prediction.

Peak Power Markets for Satellite Solar Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.

2002-01-01

This paper introduces first Indonesia, comprises 15,000 islands, has land area of two millions square kilometers. Extending from 95 to 141 degrees East longitude and from 6 degrees North to 11 degrees South latitude. Further the market of the Space Solar Power/SPS must be worldwide, including Indonesia. As we know, it can provide electricity anywhere in the world from the Earth's orbit, mostly Indonesia an equator country. We have to perform case studies of various countries to understand their benefits and disadvantages provided by the SSP, because each country has much different condition on energy from other countries. We are at the moment starting the international collaboration between Indonesia and Japan to carry out the case study for Indonesia. We understand that in Indonesia itself each province has much different micro-climate between one province compared to the other. In Japan, METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has already organized a committee to investigate the feasibility of Space Solar Power and to make a plan to launch a space demonstration of the SPS. While, Indonesia is quickly developing economy and increasing their energy demand. We are investigating the detailed energy conditions of Indonesia, the benefits and disadvantages of the Space Solar Power for Indonesia. Especially, we will perform the investigation on the receiving system for the Japanese pilot Space Power Satellite.

Influence of the 11-year solar cycle on the effects of the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation, manifesting in the extratropical northern atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitnov, S. A.

2009-01-01

Using the longest and most reliable ozonesonde data sets grouped for four regions (Japan, Europe, as well as temperate and polar latitudes of Canada) the comparative analysis of regional responses of ozone, temperature, horizontal wind, tropopause and surface pressure on the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO effects), manifesting in opposite phases of the 11-year solar cycle (11-yr SC) was carried out. The impact of solar cycle is found to be the strongest at the Canadian Arctic, near one of two climatological centres of polar vortex, where in solar maximum conditions the QBO signals in ozone and temperature have much larger amplitudes, embrace greater range of heights, and are maximized much higher than those in solar minimum conditions. The strengthening of the temperature QBO effect during solar maxima can explain why correlation between the 11-yr SC and polar winter stratospheric temperature is reversed in the opposite QBO phases. At the border of polar vortex the 11-yr SC also modulates the QBO effect in zonal wind, strengthening the quasi-biennial modulation of polar vortex during solar maxima that is associated with strong negative correlation between stratospheric QBO signals in zonal wind and temperature. Above Japan the QBO effects of ozone, temperature, and zonal wind, manifesting in solar maxima reveal the downward phase dynamics, reminding similar feature of the zonal wind in the equatorial stratosphere. Above Europe, the QBO effects in solar maxima reveal more similarity with those above Japan, while in solar minima with the effects obtained at the Canadian middle-latitude stations. It is revealed that the 11-yr SC influences regional QBO effects in tropopause height, tropopause temperature and surface pressure. The influence most distinctly manifest itself in tropopause characteristics above Japan. The results of the accompanying analysis of the QBO reference time series testify that in the period of 1965-2006 above 50-hPa level the duration

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Contributes to Solar B/Hinode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Hinode (Sunrise), formerly known as Solar-B before reaching orbit, was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan on September 23, 2006. Hinode was designed to probe into the Sun's magnetic field to better understand the origin of solar disturbances which interfere with satellite communications, electrical power transmission grids, and the safety of astronauts traveling beyond the Earth's magnetic field. Hinode is circling Earth in a polar orbit that places the instruments in continuous sunlight for nine months each year and allows data dumps to a high latitude European Space Agency (ESA) ground station every orbit. NASA and other science teams will support instrument operations and data collection from the spacecraft's operation center at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA's) Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science facility located in Tokyo. The Hinode spacecraft is a collaboration among space agencies of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) managed development of three instruments comprising the spacecraft; the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT); the X-Ray Telescope (XRT); and the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Imaging Spectrometer (EIS). Provided by the Multimedia support group at MSFC, this video clip is an animated illustration of the Solar-B Spacecraft in earth orbit.

Nagano, Japan 1998

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-06

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite captured this stunning view of Japan’ four largest islands on February 20, 2004. The snow-covered southern arm of Hokkaido extends into the upper left corner. Honshu, Japan’s largest island, curves across the center of the image. Shikoku, right, and Kyushu, left, form the southern tip of the group. Japan is mostly mountainous, and, as the dusting of snow in this image shows, is cold in the north and more tropical in the south. A single red dot marks the location of an active fire. Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Solar-B E/PO Program at Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burress, B. S.

2005-05-01

Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, California, conducts the Education/Public Outreach program for the Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab Solar-B Focal Plane Package project. Since opening its doors in August 2000, Chabot has carried out this program in activities and educational products in the public outreach, informal education, and formal education spheres. We propose a poster presentation that illustrates the spectrum of our Solar-B E/PO program. Solar-B, scheduled to launch in September 2006, is another step in an increasingly sophisticated investigation and understanding of our Sun, its behavior, and its effects on the Earth and our technological civilization. A mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Solar-B is an international collaboration between Japan, the US/NASA, and the UK/PPARC. Solar-B's main optical telescope, extreme ultraviolet imaging spectrometer, and x-ray telescope will collect data on the Sun's magnetic dynamics from the photosphere through the corona at higher spatial and time resolution than on current and previous solar satellite missions, furthering our understanding of the Sun's behavior and, ultimately, its effects on the Earth. Chabot's E/PO program for the Lockheed-Martin Solar-B Focal Plane Package is multi-faceted, including elements focused on technology/engineering, solar physics, and Sun-Earth Connection themes. In the Public Outreach arena, we conduct events surrounding NASA Sun-Earth Day themes and programs other live and/or interactive events, facilitate live solar viewing, and present a series of exhibits focused on the Solar-B and other space-based missions, the dynamic Sun, and light and optics. In the Informal Education sector we run a solar day camp for kids and produce educational products, including a poster on the Solar-B mission and CDROM multimedia packages. In Formal Education, we develop classroom curriculum guides and conduct workshops training teachers in their implementation

Tropical Storm Toraji Spawns Tornadoes in Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The outflow from Tropical Storm Toraji spawned tornadoes that caused injuries and property damage in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, just northeast of Tokyo, on September 2, 2013. This image was taken by the Suomi NPP satellite's VIIRS instrument around 0425Z on September 2, 2013. Credit: NASA/NOAA NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Synchronized Northern Hemisphere climate change and solar magnetic cycles during the Maunder Minimum.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Yasuhiko T; Yokoyama, Yusuke; Miyahara, Hiroko; Sho, Kenjiro; Nakatsuka, Takeshi

2010-11-30

The Maunder Minimum (A.D. 1645-1715) is a useful period to investigate possible sun-climate linkages as sunspots became exceedingly rare and the characteristics of solar cycles were different from those of today. Here, we report annual variations in the oxygen isotopic composition (δ(18)O) of tree-ring cellulose in central Japan during the Maunder Minimum. We were able to explore possible sun-climate connections through high-temporal resolution solar activity (radiocarbon contents; Δ(14)C) and climate (δ(18)O) isotope records derived from annual tree rings. The tree-ring δ(18)O record in Japan shows distinct negative δ(18)O spikes (wetter rainy seasons) coinciding with rapid cooling in Greenland and with decreases in Northern Hemisphere mean temperature at around minima of decadal solar cycles. We have determined that the climate signals in all three records strongly correlate with changes in the polarity of solar dipole magnetic field, suggesting a causal link to galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). These findings are further supported by a comparison between the interannual patterns of tree-ring δ(18)O record and the GCR flux reconstructed by an ice-core (10)Be record. Therefore, the variation of GCR flux associated with the multidecadal cycles of solar magnetic field seem to be causally related to the significant and widespread climate changes at least during the Maunder Minimum.

Synchronized Northern Hemisphere climate change and solar magnetic cycles during the Maunder Minimum

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Yasuhiko T.; Yokoyama, Yusuke; Miyahara, Hiroko; Sho, Kenjiro; Nakatsuka, Takeshi

2010-01-01

The Maunder Minimum (A.D. 1645–1715) is a useful period to investigate possible sun–climate linkages as sunspots became exceedingly rare and the characteristics of solar cycles were different from those of today. Here, we report annual variations in the oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) of tree-ring cellulose in central Japan during the Maunder Minimum. We were able to explore possible sun–climate connections through high-temporal resolution solar activity (radiocarbon contents; Δ14C) and climate (δ18O) isotope records derived from annual tree rings. The tree-ring δ18O record in Japan shows distinct negative δ18O spikes (wetter rainy seasons) coinciding with rapid cooling in Greenland and with decreases in Northern Hemisphere mean temperature at around minima of decadal solar cycles. We have determined that the climate signals in all three records strongly correlate with changes in the polarity of solar dipole magnetic field, suggesting a causal link to galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). These findings are further supported by a comparison between the interannual patterns of tree-ring δ18O record and the GCR flux reconstructed by an ice-core 10Be record. Therefore, the variation of GCR flux associated with the multidecadal cycles of solar magnetic field seem to be causally related to the significant and widespread climate changes at least during the Maunder Minimum. PMID:21076031

Ms. Hisako Koyama: From Amateur Astronomer to Long-Term Solar Observer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knipp, Delores; Liu, Huixin; Hayakawa, Hisashi

2017-10-01

The path to science for a girl of any nationality born in the early twentieth century was formidable-to-nonexistent. Yet paths were forged by a few. We present the little-known story of one of Japan's premier solar observers and her contribution to the world's understanding of sunspots and space weather cycles. Ms. Hisako Koyama, born in Tokyo in 1916, became a passionate amateur astronomer, a dedicated solar observer, and a long-serving staff member of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. As a writer for amateur astronomy journals she advised many on the details and joys of sky viewing. She created a consistent, extended record of sunspots. Her multidecade archive of sunspot drawings is one of the "backbones" for the recent international recalibration of the sunspot record that provides insight into space weather reaching back to the early 1600s. We detail her contributions to the citizens of Japan as an ambassador of astronomy and her international contribution to understanding the symmetries and asymmetries of the solar cycle. We comment on the value of her continuous record of sunspots and on her tenacity in promoting a science that links to space weather.

Epidemiological and Evolutionary Dynamics of Influenza B Viruses in Malaysia, 2012-2014

PubMed Central

Pang, Yong Kek; Chan, Kok Gan; Hanafi, Nik Sherina; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Tee, Kok Keng

2015-01-01

Epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics of influenza B Victoria and Yamagata lineages remained poorly understood in the tropical Southeast Asia region, despite causing seasonal outbreaks worldwide. From 2012–2014, nasopharyngeal swab samples collected from outpatients experiencing acute upper respiratory tract infection symptoms in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were screened for influenza viruses using a multiplex RT-PCR assay. Among 2,010/3,935 (51.1%) patients infected with at least one respiratory virus, 287 (14.3%) and 183 (9.1%) samples were tested positive for influenza A and B viruses, respectively. Influenza-positive cases correlate significantly with meteorological factors—total amount of rainfall, relative humidity, number of rain days, ground temperature and particulate matter (PM10). Phylogenetic reconstruction of haemagglutinin (HA) gene from 168 influenza B viruses grouped them into Yamagata Clade 3 (65, 38.7%), Yamagata Clade 2 (48, 28.6%) and Victoria Clade 1 (55, 32.7%). With neuraminidase (NA) phylogeny, 30 intra-clade (29 within Yamagata Clade 3, 1 within Victoria Clade 1) and 1 inter-clade (Yamagata Clade 2-HA/Yamagata Clade 3-NA) reassortants were identified. Study of virus temporal dynamics revealed a lineage shift from Victoria to Yamagata (2012–2013), and a clade shift from Yamagata Clade 2 to Clade 3 (2013–2014). Yamagata Clade 3 predominating in 2014 consisted of intra-clade reassortants that were closely related to a recent WHO vaccine candidate strain (B/Phuket/3073/2013), with the reassortment event occurred approximately 2 years ago based on Bayesian molecular clock estimation. Malaysian Victoria Clade 1 viruses carried H274Y substitution in the active site of neuraminidase, which confers resistance to oseltamivir. Statistical analyses on clinical and demographic data showed Yamagata-infected patients were older and more likely to experience headache while Victoria-infected patients were more likely to experience nasal congestion

Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geiger, Rita; And Others

The document offers practical and motivating techniques for studying Japan. Dedicated to promoting global awareness, separate sections discuss Japan's geography, history, culture, education, government, economics, energy, transportation, and communication. Each section presents a topical overview; suggested classroom activities; and easily…

Near-Real Time Monitoring of TEC Over Japan at NICT (RWC Tokyo OF ISES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, W.; Jin, H.

2010-05-01

The world wide use of global navigation satellite systems such as GPS offers unique opportunities for a permanent monitoring of the total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere. We have developed a system of the rapid derivation of TEC from GEONET (a dense GPS receiver network in Japan). In addition to a previous plot of TEC temporal variation over Japan, we have recently developed a near-real-time two-dimensional TEC map and have used it for the daily operation of Space Weather Forecast Center at NICT (Regional Warning Center Tokyo of International Space Environment Service). The TEC map can be used to continuously monitor the ionospheric disturbances over Japan, including spatial and temporal development of ionospheric storms, large-amplitude traveling ionospheric disturbances, and plasma bubbles intruding over Japan, with high time resolution. The development of the real-time monitoring system of TEC enables us to monitor large ionospheric disturbances, ranging from global- to small-scale disturbances, expected in the next solar maximum. The plot and maps are open to the public and are available on http://wdc.nict.go.jp/IONO/index_E.html.

Apoptosis and expression of apoptosis-related genes in the mouse testis following heat exposure.

PubMed

Miura, Michiharu; Sasagawa, Isoji; Suzuki, Yasuhiro; Nakada, Teruhiro; Fujii, Junichi

2002-04-01

To investigate molecular mechanisms of germ cell apoptosis induced by heat exposure in mice. Controlled laboratory study. Departments of Urology and Biochemistry, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan. Forty-four male B6D2F1 mice. Heat exposure, 43 degrees C for 15 minutes. Testicular germ cell apoptosis (percentages of apoptotic tubules and apoptotic cells) was assessed by using DNA nick-end labeling, and expression of Bcl-2 family, Fas-FasL system, and p53 was evaluated by using Western analysis. Bilateral testicular weights decreased significantly from 3 days after heat exposure. Percentages of apoptotic tubules and apoptotic germ cells increased significantly from 1 day after heat exposure. There were no significant changes in the levels of Bcl-xl, Bad, and Bax after heat exposure. However, Bcl-2 expression level decreased significantly 7 days after heat exposure. In contrast, the expression level of Fas and p53 increased significantly from 1 day to 3 days after heat exposure, respectively. Expression level of FasL elevated significantly at days 1 and 2 but declined from day 3. Germ cell apoptosis induced by heat exposure is mainly mediated by the Fas-FasL system.

A founder haplotype of APOE-Sendai mutation associated with lipoprotein glomerulopathy.

PubMed

Toyota, Kentaro; Hashimoto, Taeko; Ogino, Daisuke; Matsunaga, Akira; Ito, Minoru; Masakane, Ikuto; Degawa, Noriyuki; Sato, Hiroshi; Shirai, Sayuri; Umetsu, Kazuo; Tamiya, Gen; Saito, Takao; Hayasaka, Kiyoshi

2013-05-01

Lipoprotein glomerulopathy (LPG) is a hereditary disease characterized by lipoprotein thrombi in the glomerulus, hyperlipoproteinemia, and a marked increase in serum apolipoprotein E (APOE). More than 12 APOE mutations have been identified as causes of LPG, and APOE-Sendai (Arg145Pro) mutation was frequently detected in patients from the eastern part of Japan including Yamagata prefecture. Recently, effective therapy with intensive lipid-lowering agents was established, and epidemiologic data are required for early diagnosis. We determined the haplotype structure of APOE-Sendai in 13 patients from 9 unrelated families with LPG, and found that the haplotype of all APOE-Sendai mutations was identical, suggesting that APOE-Sendai mutation is common in Japanese patients probably through a founder effect. We also studied the gene frequency of APOE-Sendai in 2023 control subjects and 418 patients receiving hemodialysis in Yamagata prefecture using the TaqMan method, but did not identify any subjects carrying the mutation, indicating that it is very rare in the general population even in the eastern part of Japan. In addition to APOE mutation, other genetic and/or epigenetic factors are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of LPG because of its low penetrance. The patients did not have a common haplotype of the counterpart APOE allele, and some patients had the same haplotype of the counterpart APOE allele as the asymptomatic carriers. These results suggest that the counterpart APOE allele is not likely associated with the onset of LPG. Further study is required to clarify the pathogenesis of LPG.

Japanese Exploration to Solar System Small Bodies: Rewriting a Planetary Formation Theory with Astromaterial Connection (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, H.

2013-12-01

Three decades ago, Japan's deep space exploration started with Sakigake and Suisei, twin flyby probes to P/Halley. Since then, the Solar System small bodies have been one of focused destinations to the Japanese solar system studies even today. Only one year after the Halley armada launch, the very first meeting was held for an asteroid sample return mission at ISAS, which after 25 years, materialized as the successful Earth return of Hayabusa , an engineering verification mission for sample return from surfaces of an NEO for the first time in the history. Launched in 2003 and returned in 2010, Hayabusa became the first to visit a sub-km, rubble-pile potentially hazardous asteroid in near Earth space. Its returned samples solved S-type asteroid - ordinary chondrite paradox by proving space weathering evidences in sub-micron scale. Between the Halley missions and Hayabusa, SOCCER concept by M-V rocket was jointly studied between ISAS and NASA; yet it was not realized due to insufficient delta-V for intact capture by decelerating flyby/encounter velocity to a cometary coma. The SOCCER later became reality as Stardust, NASA Discovery mission for cometary coma dust sample return in1999-2006. Japan has collected the second largest collection of the Antarctic meteorites and micrometeorites of the world and asteromaterial scientists are eager to collaborate with space missions. Also Japan enjoyed a long history of collaborations between professional astronomers and high-end amateur observers in the area of observational studies of asteroids, comets and meteors. Having these academic foundations, Japan has an emphasis on programmatic approach to sample returns of Solar System small bodies in future prospects. The immediate follow-on to Hayabusa is Hayabusa-2 mission to sample return with an artificial impactor from 1999 JU3, a C-type NEO in 2014-2020. Following successful demonstration of deep space solar sail technique by IKAROS in 2010-2013, the solar power sail is a deep

Heat Pumps With Direct Expansion Solar Collectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Sadasuke

In this paper, the studies of heat pump systems using solar collectors as the evaporators, which have been done so far by reserchers, are reviwed. Usually, a solar collector without any cover is preferable to one with ac over because of the necessity of absorbing heat from the ambient air when the intensity of the solar energy on the collector is not enough. The performance of the collector depends on its area and the intensity of the convective heat transfer on the surface. Fins are fixed on the backside of the collector-surface or on the tube in which the refrigerant flows in order to increase the convective heat transfer. For the purpose of using a heat pump efficiently throughout year, a compressor with variable capacity is applied. The solar assisted heat pump can be used for air conditioning at night during the summer. Only a few groups of people have studied cooling by using solar assisted heat pump systems. In Japan, a kind of system for hot water supply has been produced commercially in a company and a kind of system for air conditioning has been installed in buildings commercially by another company.

Overview of the Solar-B Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, John M.

2006-01-01

The Solar-B mission is a collaboration between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) of the United Kingdom and the European Space Agency. The principal scientific goals of the mission are to understand the processes of magnetic field generation, transport and ultimate dissipation of solar magnetic fields and how the release of magnetic energy is responsible for the heating and structuring of the chromosphere and corona. The scientific payload consists of three instruments: the Solar Optical Telescope that consists of the Optical Telescope Assembly and the Focal Plane Package (FPP), the X-ray Telescope and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer Each instrument is a result of the combined talents of all the members of the international team and their design and performance is described in separate papers in this session. The instruments are designed to work together as an 'observatory' simultaneously studying the target, at which the spacecraft is pointed, at different levels in the atmosphere. The spacecraft is scheduled for launch in September 2006 from the Uchinoura Space Center into a 600 km circular, sun-synchronous, polar orbit with a nominal elevation of 97.9 degrees. The orbit provides at least two morning and two evening contacts in Japan. Morning contacts are used for recovering quick look science data and the evening contacts for uploading commands. In addition ESA will provide 15 contacts per day from the Norwegian high latitude (78deg 14' N) ground station at Svalbard. The data downloads are transmitted to the ISAS Sirius database. They will be reformatted into FITS files and archived as Level 0 data on the ISAS DARTS system and made available to the scientific community. Scientific operations will be conducted from the IS AS facility located in Sagamihara, Japan. They are separated into planning

Prospects of Graphene as a Potential Carrier-Transport Material in Third-Generation Solar Cells.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Towhid H; Islam, Ashraful; Mahmud Hasan, A K; Terdi, M Asri Mat; Arunakumari, M; Prakash Singh, Surya; Alam, Md Khorshed; Bedja, Idriss M; Hafidz Ruslan, Mohd; Sopian, Kamaruzzaman; Amin, Nowshad; Akhtaruzzaman, Md

2016-04-01

Third-generation solar cells are understood to be the pathway to overcoming the issues and drawbacks of the existing solar cell technologies. Since the introduction of graphene in solar cells, it has been providing attractive properties for the next generation of solar cells. Currently, there are more theoretical predictions rather than practical recognitions in third-generation solar cells. Some of the potential of graphene has been explored in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), but it has yet to be fully comprehended in the recent third-generation inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells. In this review, the diverse role of graphene in third-generation OPVs and DSSCs will be deliberated to provide an insight on the prospects and challenges of graphene in inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells. © 2016 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Typhoon Neoguri Approaching Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-09

NASA's Terra satellite captured this visible image on July 9 at 02:30 UTC (July 8 at 10:30 p.m. EDT) as Typhoon Neoguri was approaching Kyushu, Japan. The visible image revealed that Neoguri's eye had disappeared and the center has become somewhat elongated as the storm weakened into a tropical storm. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC noted that an upper level analysis revealed that Neoguri is now in a more harsh environment as northerly vertical wind shear increased to as much as 30 knots. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Near infrared organic semiconducting materials for bulk heterojunction and dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Singh, Surya Prakash; Sharma, G D

2014-06-01

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have been the subject of intensive academic interest over the past two decades, and significant commercial effort has been directed towards this area with the vison of developing the next generation of low cost solar cells. Materials development has played a vital role in the dramatic improvement of both DSSC and BHJ solar cell performance in the recent years. Organic conjugated polymers and small molecules that absorb solar light in the visible and near infrared (NIR) regions represent a class of emering materials and show a great potential for the use of different optoelectronic devices such as DSSCs and BHJ solar cells. This account describes the emering class of near infrared (NIR) organic polymers and small molecules having donor and acceptors units, and explores their potential applications in the DSSCs and BHJ solar cells. Copyright © 2014 The Chemical Society of Japan and Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Material challenges for solar cells in the twenty-first century: directions in emerging technologies.

PubMed

Almosni, Samy; Delamarre, Amaury; Jehl, Zacharie; Suchet, Daniel; Cojocaru, Ludmila; Giteau, Maxime; Behaghel, Benoit; Julian, Anatole; Ibrahim, Camille; Tatry, Léa; Wang, Haibin; Kubo, Takaya; Uchida, Satoshi; Segawa, Hiroshi; Miyashita, Naoya; Tamaki, Ryo; Shoji, Yasushi; Yoshida, Katsuhisa; Ahsan, Nazmul; Watanabe, Kentaro; Inoue, Tomoyuki; Sugiyama, Masakazu; Nakano, Yoshiaki; Hamamura, Tomofumi; Toupance, Thierry; Olivier, Céline; Chambon, Sylvain; Vignau, Laurence; Geffroy, Camille; Cloutet, Eric; Hadziioannou, Georges; Cavassilas, Nicolas; Rale, Pierre; Cattoni, Andrea; Collin, Stéphane; Gibelli, François; Paire, Myriam; Lombez, Laurent; Aureau, Damien; Bouttemy, Muriel; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Okada, Yoshitaka; Guillemoles, Jean-François

2018-01-01

Photovoltaic generation has stepped up within the last decade from outsider status to one of the important contributors of the ongoing energy transition, with about 1.7% of world electricity provided by solar cells. Progress in materials and production processes has played an important part in this development. Yet, there are many challenges before photovoltaics could provide clean, abundant, and cheap energy. Here, we review this research direction, with a focus on the results obtained within a Japan-French cooperation program, NextPV, working on promising solar cell technologies. The cooperation was focused on efficient photovoltaic devices, such as multijunction, ultrathin, intermediate band, and hot-carrier solar cells, and on printable solar cell materials such as colloidal quantum dots.

Tropical Storm Yagi off Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

On Tuesday, June 11, 2013 Tropical Storm Yagi spun in the North Pacific Ocean just south of Japan. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this beautiful true-color image of the storm on that same date at 4:10 UTC (1:10 p.m. Japan local time). The image shows a clear apostrophe-shaped cyclone, with a closed eye and somewhat elliptical shape. The clouds associated with the northern fringes of the storm draped over southeastern coastal Japan, and a long “tail” (or band) of thunderstorms fed into the center from the south. Multispectral imagery also showed tight bands of thunderstorms wrapping into the center of the storm, although the building of thunderstorms was weakening around the center. Near the same time as the image was captured, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center announced that vertical wind shear was starting to take a toll on Yagi. Northwesterly wind shear had caused the system to tilt slightly with the upper-level center displaced about 20 nautical miles east of the low-level center. Tropical Storm Yagi developed from Tropical Depression 03W in the Western North Pacific Ocean on June 6, and intensified the weekend of June 8-9, when it reached Tropical Storm status and was given the name Yagi. Also known as Dante, the storm reached the maximum wind speeds on June 10 and 11, after which it began to weaken as it moved into cooler waters. On June 14, Yagi’s remnants passed about 200 miles south of Tokyo, and brought soaking rains to the coastline of Japan’s Honshu Island. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook

Regional differences in population-based cancer survival between six prefectures in Japan: application of relative survival models with funnel plots.

PubMed

Ito, Yuri; Ioka, Akiko; Tsukuma, Hideaki; Ajiki, Wakiko; Sugimoto, Tomoyuki; Rachet, Bernard; Coleman, Michel P

2009-07-01

We used new methods to examine differences in population-based cancer survival between six prefectures in Japan, after adjustment for age and stage at diagnosis. We applied regression models for relative survival to data from population-based cancer registries covering each prefecture for patients diagnosed with stomach, lung, or breast cancer during 1993-1996. Funnel plots were used to display the excess hazard ratio (EHR) for each prefecture, defined as the excess hazard of death from each cancer within 5 years of diagnosis relative to the mean excess hazard (in excess of national background mortality by age and sex) in all six prefectures combined. The contribution of age and stage to the EHR in each prefecture was assessed from differences in deviance-based R(2) between the various models. No significant differences were seen between prefectures in 5-year survival from breast cancer. For cancers of the stomach and lung, EHR in Osaka prefecture were above the upper 95% control limits. For stomach cancer, the age- and stage-adjusted EHR in Osaka were 1.29 for men and 1.43 for women, compared with Fukui and Yamagata. Differences in the stage at diagnosis of stomach cancer appeared to explain most of this excess hazard (61.3% for men, 56.8% for women), whereas differences in age at diagnosis explained very little (0.8%, 1.3%). This approach offers the potential to quantify the impact of differences in stage at diagnosis on time trends and regional differences in cancer survival. It underlines the utility of population-based cancer registries for improving cancer control.

Highlighting the history of Japanese radio astronomy. 5: The 1950 Osaka solar grating array proposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendt, Harry; Orchiston, Wayne; Ishiguro, Masato; Nakamura, Tsuko

2017-04-01

In November 1950, a paper was presented at the 5th Annual Assembly of the Physical Society of Japan that outlined the plan for a radio frequency grating array, designed to provide high-resolution observations of solar radio emission at 3.3 GHz. This short paper provides details of the invention of this array, which occurred independently of W.N. Christiansen's invention of the solar grating array in Australia at almost the same time.

Aftershocks associated with impaired health caused by the great East Japan disaster among youth across Japan: a national cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Takashi; Shinozaki, Tomohiro; Miyamoto, Yuki

2013-12-20

The Great East Japan earthquake, subsequent tsunamis and the Fukushima nuclear incident had a tremendous impact on Japanese society. Although small-scale surveys have been conducted in highly affected areas, few have elucidated the disaster's effect on health from national perspective, which is necessary to prepare national policy and response. The aim of the present study was to describe prefecture-level health status and investigate associations with number of aftershocks, seismic intensity, a closer geographical location to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, or higher reported radiation dose in each prefecture even after adjusting for individual socioeconomic factors, by utilizing individual-level data acquired from a national cross-sectional Internet survey as well as officially reported prefecture-level data. A Japanese government research institute obtained 12,000 participants by quota sampling and 7335 participants were eligible for the analysis in an age range between 17 and 27 years old. We calculated the percentage of people with decreased subjective health in each prefecture after the earthquake. Variability introduced by a small sample size for some prefectures was smoothed using empirical Bayes estimation with a random-intercept logistic model, with and without demographic factors. Multilevel logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for change of subjective health associated with prefecture-level and individual-level factors. Adjusted empirical Bayes estimates were higher for respondents commuting in the northeast region (Iwate 14%, Miyagi 19%, and Fukushima 28%), which faces the Pacific Ocean, while the values for Akita (10%) and Yamagata (8%) prefectures, which do not face the Pacific Ocean, were lower than those of Tokyo (12%). The values from the central to the western region were clearly lower. The number of aftershocks was coherently associated with decreased health (OR 1.05 per 100 times, 95% CI 1.04-1.06; P<.001

Hinode ``a new solar observatory in space''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuneta, S.; Harra, L. K.; Masuda, S.

2009-05-01

Since its launch in September 2006, the Japan-US-UK solar physics satellite, Hinode, has continued its observation of the sun, sending back solar images of unprecedented clarity every day. Hinode is equipped with three telescopes, a visible light telescope, an X-ray telescope, and an extreme ultraviolet imaging spectrometer. The Hinode optical telescope has a large primary mirror measuring 50 centimeters in diameter and is the world's largest space telescope for observing the sun and its vector magnetic fields. The impact of Hinode as an optical telescope on solar physics is comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope on optical astronomy. While the optical telescope observes the sun's surface, the Hinode X-ray telescope captures images of the corona and the high-temperature flares that range between several million and several tens of millions of degrees. The telescope has captured coronal structures that are clearer than ever. The Hinode EUV imaging spectrometer possesses approximately ten times the sensitivity and four times the resolution of a similar instrument on the SOHO satellite. The source of energy for the sun is in the nuclear fusion reaction that takes place at its core. Here temperature drops closer to the surface, where the temperature measures about 6,000 degrees. Mysteriously, the temperature starts rising again above the surface, and the temperature of the corona is exceptionally high, several millions of degrees. It is as if water were boiling fiercely in a kettle placed on a stove with no fire, inconceivable as it may sound. The phenomenon is referred to as the coronal heating problem, and it is one of the major astronomical mysteries. The Hinode observatory was designed to solve this mystery. It is expected that Hinode would also provide clues to unraveling why strong magnetic fields are formed and how solar flares are triggered. An overview on the initial results from Hinode is presented. Dynamic video pictures captured by Hinode can be

Physics-based Space Weather Forecasting in the Project for Solar-Terrestrial Environment Prediction (PSTEP) in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusano, K.

2016-12-01

Project for Solar-Terrestrial Environment Prediction (PSTEP) is a Japanese nation-wide research collaboration, which was recently launched. PSTEP aims to develop a synergistic interaction between predictive and scientific studies of the solar-terrestrial environment and to establish the basis for next-generation space weather forecasting using the state-of-the-art observation systems and the physics-based models. For this project, we coordinate the four research groups, which develop (1) the integration of space weather forecast system, (2) the physics-based solar storm prediction, (3) the predictive models of magnetosphere and ionosphere dynamics, and (4) the model of solar cycle activity and its impact on climate, respectively. In this project, we will build the coordinated physics-based model to answer the fundamental questions concerning the onset of solar eruptions and the mechanism for radiation belt dynamics in the Earth's magnetosphere. In this paper, we will show the strategy of PSTEP, and discuss about the role and prospect of the physics-based space weather forecasting system being developed by PSTEP.

An Overview of the Solar-C Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemen, J. R.; Tarbell, T. D.; Cirtain, J. W.; DeLuca, E. E.; Doschek, G. A.

2013-12-01

Solar-C is a new mission in solar and heliospheric physics that is being proposed to JAXA for launch in 2020. It will be led by Japan with major contributions from the US and Europe. The main scientific objectives of the mission are to: * Determine the properties and evolution of the three dimensional magnetic field, especially on small spatial scales, using direct spectro-polarimetric measurements in the photosphere and chromosphere, and accurate model extrapolations and dynamic simulations into the corona that are based, for the first time, on boundary fields observed in a low plasma beta region; * Observe and understand fundamental physical processes such as magnetic reconnection, magneto-hydrodynamic waves, shocks, turbulence, and plasma instabilities * Reveal the mechanisms responsible for the heating and dynamics of the chromosphere and corona and the acceleration of the solar wind, and understand how plasma and energy are transferred between different parts of the solar atmosphere; * Determine the physical origin of the large-scale explosions and eruptions (flares, jets, and CMEs) that drive short-term solar, heliospheric, and geospace variability. To achieve the science objectives, Solar-C will deploy a carefully coordinated suite of three complementary instruments: the Solar Ultra-violet Visible and IR Telescope (SUVIT), the high-throughput EUV Spectroscopic Telescope (EUVST), and an X-ray Imaging Telescope/Extreme Ultraviolet Telescope (XIT). For the first time, it will simultaneously observe the entire atmosphere---photosphere, chromosphere, transition region, and corona---and do so with essentially the same spatial and temporal resolution at all locations. As is the case for other solar observatories, the Solar-C mission will have an open data policy. We provide an overview of the mission and its contributions to the future of solar physics and space weather research.

Tokyo, Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Tokyo, (35.5N, 140.0E) the capital city of Japan, Tokyo Bay and the neighboring cities of Yokohama, Kawasaki and Chiba are seen in this view of Japan. This great international seaport facility covers almost all of the bayfront and is home to over thirty million people.

The Hinode(Solar-B)Mission: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kosugi, T.; Matsuzaki, K.; Sakao, T.; Shimizu, T.; Sone, Y.; Tachikawa, S.; Minesugi, K.; Ohnishi, A.; Yamada, T.; Tsuneta, S.;

Highlighting the history of Japanese radio astronomy. 4: early solar research in Osaka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orchiston, Wayne; Nakamura, Tsuko; Ishiguro, Masato

2016-12-01

For about two years, from late 1949, Minoru Oda and Tatsuo Takakura carried out solar observations from Osaka, initially with a hand-made horn and later with a small parabolic antenna connected to a 3.3 GHz receiver, but they only published one short paper on this work. At about the same time, Ojio and others at Osaka City University presented the concept of a solar grating array at a meeting of the Japan Physical Society, but this was never built. In this paper, we provide brief biographical accounts of Oda and Takakura before examining their radio telescopes and the observations that they made. We also briefly discuss the proposed Japanese solar grating array.

Reconsidering Japan's underperformance in pharmaceuticals: evidence from Japan's anticancer drug sector.

PubMed

Umemura, Maki

2010-01-01

Unlike its automobile or electronics industries, Japan's pharmaceutical industry did not become a global leader. Japan remains a net importer of pharmaceuticals and has introduced few global blockbuster drugs. Alfred Chandler argued that Japan's pharmaceutical firms remained relatively weak because Western firms enjoyed an insurmountable first first-mover advantage. However, this case study of the anticancer drug sector illustrates that Chandler's explanation is incomplete. Japanese medical culture, government policy, and research environment also played a substantial role in shaping the industry. In the 1970s and 1980s, these factors encouraged firms to develop little few effective drugs with low side effects, and profit from Japan's domestic market. But, these drugs were unsuitable to foreign markets with more demanding efficacy standards. As a result, Japan not only lost more than a decade in developing ineffective drugs, but also neglected to create the infrastructure necessary to develop innovative drugs and build a stronger pharmaceutical industry.

21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Japan wax. 186.1555 Section 186.1555 Food and Drugs... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 186.1555 Japan wax. (a) Japan wax (CAS Reg. No. 8001-39-6), also known as Japan... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan...

Design of the health examination survey on early childhood physical growth in the Great East Japan Earthquake affected areas.

PubMed

Matsubara, Hiroko; Ishikuro, Mami; Kikuya, Masahiro; Chida, Shoichi; Hosoya, Mitsuaki; Ono, Atsushi; Kato, Noriko; Yokoya, Susumu; Tanaka, Toshiaki; Isojima, Tsuyoshi; Yamagata, Zentaro; Tanaka, Soichiro; Kuriyama, Shinichi; Kure, Shigeo

2017-03-01

To investigate the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on preschool children's physical growth in the disaster-affected areas, the three medical universities in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures conducted a health examination survey on early childhood physical growth. The survey was conducted over a 3-year period to acquire data on children who were born in different years. Our targets were as follows: 1) children who were born between March 1, 2007 and August 31, 2007 and experienced the disaster at 43-48 months of age, 2) children who were born between March 1, 2009 and August 31, 2009 and experienced the disaster at 19-24 months of age, and 3) children who were born between June 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011 and were under 10 months of age or not born yet when the disaster occurred. We collected their health examination data from local governments in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures. We also collected data from Aomori, Akita, and Yamagata Prefectures to use as a control group. The survey items included birth information, anthropometric measurements, and methods of nutrition during infancy. Eighty municipalities from Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures and 21 from the control prefectures participated in the survey. As a result, we established three retrospective cohorts consisting of 13,886, 15,474, and 32,202 preschool children. The large datasets acquired for the present survey will provide valuable epidemiological evidence that should shed light on preschool children's physical growth in relation to the disaster. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Academic Libraries in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Rowena; Nagata, Haruki

2008-01-01

Academic libraries in Japan are well resourced by international standards, and support Japan's internationally recognized research capability well, but there are also ways in which they reflect Japan's strong bureaucratic culture. Recent changes to the status of national university libraries have seen a new interest in customer service, and…

Japan's funding supremo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durrani, Matin

2018-02-01

Yasuhiro Iye, a condensed-matter physicist who is executive director of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, talks to Matin Durrani about the pressures and challenges facing Japan's biggest funding agency

[Effect of a life review process to improve quality of life for the homebound elderly in Japan].

PubMed

Imuta, Hiromi; Yasumura, Seiji; Ahiko, Tadayuki

2004-07-01

This study examined the therapeutic effects of Life Review processes on physical and psychological functions of homebound elderly in Japan. From 1998, a cohort of people aged 65 and over living in two cities in Yamagata Prefecture has been followed. Sixty-three subjects (24 men, 39 women) were classified as rank A (homebound). Fifty-two persons completed the baseline survey in 1999 and 46 eligible persons (18 men and 28 women) were allocated to intervention and control groups whose age and sex distribution were matched. Intervention entailed giving some health information and Life Review processing for four months, twice a month on average. Each session started with provision of health information followed by the Life Review process which took an hour to finish. All subjects of both groups were assessed for dependent variables at the beginning and the end of the intervention period (pretest and post-test). Dependent variables were physical (Activities of Daily Living, Visual deficit, and others), psychological (subjective health, life satisfaction, self-efficacy scale, and others), and social (functional ability and frequency of getting out of the house). The control group received only the pretest and the post-test. Pretest scores for all physical, psychological, and social variables did not significantly differ between the two groups. The rate for improvement/no change were higher with regard to hearing deficit, ADL (eating, dressing), cognition, subjective health, ikigai and frequency of getting out of house in the intervention group than in the control group, but there were no significant differences. The developed intervention program featuring delivery of health information and structured Life Review Process had no negative influence on physical and psycho-social functions. Practicability of the intervention was suggested. But the study highlights problems such as selection of subjects, duration and method of intervention.

Evaluation of long term solar activity effects on GPS derived TEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansoori, Azad A.; Khan, Parvaiz A.; Ahmad, Rafi; Atulkar, Roshni; M, Aslam A.; Bhardwaj, Shivangi; Malvi, Bhupendra; Purohit, P. K.; Gwal, A. K.

2016-10-01

The solar activity hence the solar radiance follows a long term periodic variability with eleven years periodicity, known as solar cycle. This drives the long term variability of the ionosphere. In the present problem we investigate the long term behaviour of the ionosphere with the eleven year cyclic solar activity. Under the present study we characterize the ionospheric variability by Total Electron Content (TEC) using measurements made by Global Positioning System (GPS) and solar cycle variability by various solar activity indices. We make use of five solar activity indices viz. sunspot number (Rz), solar radio Flux (F10.7 cm), EUV Flux (26-34 nm), flare index and CME occurrences. The long term variability of these solar activity indices were then compared and correlated with the variability of ionospheric TEC, at a mid latitude station, Usuda (36.13N, 138.36E), of Japan, during the solar cycle 23 and ascending phase of cycle 24. From our study, we found that long term changes in the ionospheric TEC vary synchronously with corresponding changes in the solar activity indices. The correlation analysis shows that all the solar activity indices exhibit a very strong correlation with TEC (R =0.76 -0.99). Moreover the correlation between the two is stronger in the descending phase of the solar cycle. The correlation is found to be remarkably strongest during the deep minimum of the solar cycle 24 i.e. between 2007- 2009. Also we noticed a hysteresis effect exists with solar radio flux (F10.7 cm) and solar EUV flux (26-34 nm). This effect is absent with other parameters.

Historical space weather monitoring of prolonged aurora activities in Japan and in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kataoka, Ryuho; Isobe, Hiroaki; Hayakawa, Hisashi; Tamazawa, Harufumi; Kawamura, Akito Davis; Miyahara, Hiroko; Iwahashi, Kiyomi; Yamamoto, Kazuaki; Takei, Masako; Terashima, Tsuneyo; Suzuki, Hidehiko; Fujiwara, Yasunori; Nakamura, Takuji

2017-02-01

Great magnetic storms are recorded as aurora sightings in historical documents. The earliest known example of "prolonged" aurora sightings, with aurora persistent for two or more nights within a 7 day interval at low latitudes, in Japan was documented on 21-23 February 1204 in Meigetsuki, when a big sunspot was also recorded in China. We have searched for prolonged events over the 600 year interval since 620 in Japan based on the catalogue of Kanda and over the 700 year interval since 581 in China based on the catalogues of Tamazawa et al. (2017) and Hayakawa et al. (2015). Before the Meigetsuki event, a significant fraction of the 200 possible aurora sightings in Sòng dynasty (960-1279) of China was detected at least twice within a 7 day interval and sometimes recurred with approximately the solar rotation period of 27 days. The majority of prolonged aurora activity events occurred around the maximum phase of solar cycles rather than around the minimum, as estimated from the 14C analysis of tree rings. They were not reported during the Oort Minimum (1010-1050). We hypothesize that the prolonged aurora sightings are associated with great magnetic storms resulting from multiple coronal mass ejections from the same active region. The historical documents therefore provide useful information to support estimation of great magnetic storm frequency, which are often associated with power outages and other societal concerns.

Changes in suicide rates in disaster-stricken areas following the Great East Japan Earthquake and their effect on economic factors: an ecological study.

PubMed

Orui, Masatsugu; Harada, Shuichiro; Hayashi, Mizuho

2014-11-01

Devastating disasters may increase suicide rates due to mental distress. Previous domestic studies have reported decreased suicide rates among men following disasters. Few reports are available regarding factors associated with disasters, making it difficult to discuss how these events affect suicide rates. This study aimed to observe changes in suicide rates in disaster-stricken and neighboring areas following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and examine associations between suicide rates and economic factors. Monthly suicide rates were observed from March 2009 to February 2013, during which time the earthquake occurred on March, 2011. Data were included from disaster-stricken (Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures) and neighboring (control: Aomori, Akita, and Yamagata Prefectures) areas. The association between changes in suicide rates and economic variables was evaluated based on the number of bankruptcy cases and ratio of effective job offers. In disaster-stricken areas, post-disaster male suicide rates decreased during the 24 months following the earthquake. This trend differed relative to control areas. Female suicide rates increased during the first seven months. Multiple regression analysis showed that bankruptcy cases (β = 0.386, p = 0.038) and ratio of effective job offers (β = -0.445, p = 0.018) were only significantly associated with male post-disaster suicide rates in control areas. Post-disaster suicide rates differed by gender following the earthquake. Our findings suggest that considering gender differences might be important for developing future post-disaster suicide prevention measures. This ecological study revealed that increasing effective job offers and decreasing bankruptcy cases can affect protectively male suicide rates in control areas.

Japan: Shikoku Island

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2016-08-24

... and island stations in the waters surrounding Japan and Korea. They characterized meteorological conditions, measured the atmospheric ... flew overhead. These MISR images, centered just north of Shikoku Island in southwest Japan, were acquired on April 13, 2001 ...

A solar observing station for education and research in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaname, José Iba, Ishitsuka; Ishitsuka, Mutsumi; Trigoso Avilés, Hugo; Takashi, Sakurai; Yohei, Nishino; Miyazaki, Hideaki; Shibata, Kazunari; Ueno, Satoru; Yumoto, Kiyohumi; Maeda, George

2007-12-01

Since 1937 Carnegie Institution of Washington made observations of active regions of the Sun with a Hale type spectro-helioscope in Huancayo observatory of the Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP). IGP has contributed significantly to geophysical and solar sciences in the last 69 years. Now IGP and the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga de Ica (UNICA) are planning to refurbish the coelostat at the observatory with the support of National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. It is also planned to install a solar Flare Monitor Telescope (FMT) at UNICA, from Hida observatory of Kyoto University. Along with the coelostat, the FMT will be useful to improve scientific research and education.

Physics in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Sameen Ahmed

2018-04-01

I read your Japan special report with a keen interest. My first visit to Japan was in March 1994 to attend the JSPS-KEK International Spring School: High Energy Ion Beams – Novel Beam Techniques and their Applications.

Japan's aging economics.

PubMed

Ezrati, M

1997-01-01

"Japan's population is aging faster than that of any other country in the world. The unprecedented increase in retirees relative to the size of Japan's work force will force radical change if the nation is to avoid a fiscal crisis, or worse. These seemingly innocent demographic changes will force Japan to shrink its famously high savings rate, reverse its proud trade surplus, send more industry overseas, liberalize its tightly controlled markets, and take on a more active, high-profile foreign policy. Ultimately, these changes will shift the balance of power in East Asia." excerpt

Tsunami related to solar and geomagnetic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldi, Gabriele; Cataldi, Daniele; Straser, Valentino

2016-04-01

The authors of this study wanted to verify the existence of a correlation between earthquakes of high intensity capable of generating tsunami and variations of solar and Earth's geomagnetic activity. To confirming or not the presence of this kind of correlation, the authors analyzed the conditions of Spaceweather "near Earth" and the characteristics of the Earth's geomagnetic field in the hours that preceded the four earthquakes of high intensity that have generated tsunamis: 1) Japan M9 earthquake occurred on March 11, 2011 at 05:46 UTC; 2) Japan M7.1 earthquake occurred on October 25, 2013 at 17:10 UTC; 3) Chile M8.2 earthquake occurred on April 1, 2014 at 23:46 UTC; 4) Chile M8.3 earthquake occurred on September 16, 2015 at 22:54 UTC. The data relating to the four earthquakes were provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The data on ion density used to realize the correlation study are represented by: solar wind ion density variation detected by ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) Satellite, in orbit near the L1 Lagrange point, at 1.5 million of km from Earth, in direction of the Sun. The instrument used to perform the measurement of the solar wind ion density is the Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor (EPAM) instrument, equipped on the ACE Satellite. To conduct the study, the authors have taken in consideration the variation of the solar wind protons density of three different energy fractions: differential proton flux 1060-1900 keV (p/cm^2-sec-ster-MeV); differential proton flux 761-1220 keV (p/cm^2-sec-ster-MeV); differential proton flux 310-580 keV (p/cm^2-sec-ster-MeV). Geomagnetic activity data were provided by Tromsø Geomagnetic Observatory (TGO), Norway; by Scoresbysund Geomagnetic Observatory (SCO), Greenland, Denmark and by Space Weather Prediction Center of Pushkov Institute of terrestrial magnetism, ionosphere and radio wave propagation (IZMIRAN), Troitsk, Moscow Region. The results of the study, in agreement with what already

Effect of geomagnetic storms of different solar origin on the ionospheric TEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansoori, Azad A.; Khan, Parvaiz A.; Purohit, P. K.

2018-05-01

We have studied the behaviour of ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) at a mid latitude station Usuda (36.130N, 138.360E), Japan during intense geomagnetic storms which were observed during 23 solar cycle (1998-2006). For the present study we have selected 47 intense geomagnetic storms (Dst≤-100nT), for the given period, which were then categorised into four categories depending upon their solar and interplanetary sources like Magnetic Cloud (MC), Co-rotating Interaction Region (CIR), Sheath driven Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection (SH+ICME) and Sheath driven Magnetic cloud (SH+MC). From our study we found that the geomagnetic storms significantly affect the ionosphere having any of the solar origin. However the geomagnetic storms which are either caused by SH+MC or SH+ICME produced maximum effect in TEC.

21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan), and R. trichocarpa (China, Indo-China, India, and Japan). Japan wax is soluble in hot alcohol, benzene...

21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan), and R. trichocarpa (China, Indo-China, India, and Japan). Japan wax is soluble in hot alcohol, benzene...

21 CFR 186.1555 - Japan wax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... fruits of the oriental sumac, Rhus succedanea (Japan, Taiwan, and Indo-China), R. vernicifera (Japan), and R. trichocarpa (China, Indo-China, India, and Japan). Japan wax is soluble in hot alcohol, benzene...

Barbarian medicine in feudal Japan.

PubMed

Fodstad, Harald; Hariz, Marwan I; Hirabayashi, Hidehiro; Ohye, Chihiro

2002-10-01

THE FIRST EUROPEANS to discover Japan were Portuguese traders who arrived in 1542. Fifteen years later, the Portuguese Jesuit priest and surgeon Luis De Almeida (1525-1583) founded the first Western hospital in Japan, for the care of lepers, syphilitics, and orphans. Because the hospital had a negative influence on the spread of Christianity, the Jesuits closed it in 1586. During the Tokugawa Shogunate (1600-1868), when Japan was secluded from the rest of the world, the only foreign physicians allowed to enter Japan were those employed by the Dutch factory at Dejima in Nagasaki. Only four of those physicians left behind seeds for the foundation of Western medicine in Japan, namely Caspar Schambergen, who founded a Japanese school of surgery in 1650; Engelbert Kämpfer, who visited Japan in 1691 to 1692; Carl Peter Thunberg, who botanically explored Japan in 1775 to 1776; and Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold, who practiced medicine in Nagasaki in 1823 to 1829 and 1859 to 1861. On the whole, Western medicine and surgery never established a real foothold in Japan until the fall of the shogunate and the restoration of the emperor in 1868.

Interannual SST Variability in the Japan/East Sea and Relationship with Environmental Variables

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

Soya Strait (SS), and Tartar Strait (TTS). (b) Regional geography. Interannual SST Variability in the Japan/East Sea 117 200 interruptions due to...caused by differential seasonal forcing. During the summer strong solar radiation penetrates into the entire Longitude(oE) La tit ud e( o N ) 50 50 100...1988.6 1988.8 1989 1989.2 1989.4 1989.6 1989.8 1990 1990.2 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 Time(year) Te m pe ra tu re (o C ) Longitude(oE) La tit ud e( o N ) (a) 5

NASA's Aqua Satellite Sees Extra-Tropical Storm Vongfong Pulling Away from Hokkaido, Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Extra-Tropical Storm Vongfong on Oct. 4 as it was moving away from Hokkaido, Japan, the northernmost of the big islands. Vongfong transitioned into an extra-tropical storm early on Oct. 4 as its core changed from warm to cold. The MODIS or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Storm Vongfong over Japan on Oct. 14 at 03:15 UTC as it was southeast of the island of Hokkaido, Japan. The image showed that south of the center of circulation was almost devoid of clouds and showers, which were all pushed to the north and east of the center as a result of southwesterly wind shear. At 0300 UTC on Oct. 14, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued its final advisory on Tropical storm Vongfong. At that time Vongfong's center was located near 29.1 north latitude and 142.9 east longitude, about 111 nautical miles (127.7 miles/205.6 km) southeast of Misawa, Japan. Vongfong was moving to the northeast at a speedy 36 knots (41.4 mph/66.67 kph). Vongfong's maximum sustained winds were near 35 knots (40.2 mph/64.8 kph). Vongfong had transitioned into an extra-tropical system and will continue to move away from northern Japan and over the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

A solar station in Ica - Mutsumi Ishitsuka: a research center to improve education at the university and schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrazas-Ramos, Raúl

2012-07-01

The San Luis Gonzaga National University of Ica has built a solar station, in collaboration with the Geophysical Institute of Peru, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and the Hida Observatory. The Solar Station has the following equipment: a digital Spectrograph Solar Refractor Telescope Takahashi 15 cm aperture, 60 cm reflector telescope aperture, a magnetometer-MAGDAS/CPNM and a Burst Monitor Telescope Solar-FMT (Project CHAIN). These teams support the development of astronomical science and Ica in Peru, likewise contributing to science worldwide. The development of basic science will be guaranteed when university students, professors and researchers work together. The Solar Station will be useful for studying the different levels of university education and also for the general public. The Solar Station will be a good way to spread science in the region through public disclosure.

The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christe, Steven; Glesener, L.; Krucker, S.; Ramsey, B.; Takahashi, T.; Lin, R.

2009-05-01

The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) is a NASA Low Cost Access to Space sounding rocket payload scheduled for launch late 2010. FOXSI will provide imaging spectroscopy with high sensitivity ( 50 times RHESSI) and high dynamic range ( 100) in hard X-rays (HXR) up to 15 keV. For the first time, it will be possible to search for nonthermal emission of thermal network flares occurring in the quiet corona in order to determine whether they are similar to active region flares. Additionally, FOXSI will extend the active-region flare distribution to events two orders of magnitude smaller than previously observed and determine their contribution to coronal heating. FOXSI is able to achieve this unprecendeted advance in solar HXR observations through the combination of nested HXR optics developped by the Marshall Space Flight Center and novel silicon strip detectors provided by ISAS Japan. The FOXSI mission will provide HXR spectroscopic imaging with an angular resolution of 12" (FWHM) and 1 keV energy resolution. FOXSI will be a pathfinder for the future generation of solar HXR spectroscopic imagers.

Computational design of materials for solar hydrogen generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umezawa, Naoto

Photocatalysis has a great potential for the production of hydrogen from aquerous solution under solar light. In this talk, two different approaches toward the computational materials desing for solar hydrogen generation will be presented. Tin (Sn), which has two major oxidation states, Sn2+ and Sn4+, is abundant on the earth's crust. Recently, visible-light responsive photocatalytc H2 evolution reaction was identified over a mixed valence tin oxide Sn3O4. We have carried out crystal structure prediction for mixed valence tin oxides in different atomic compositions under ambient pressure condition using advanced computational methods based on the evolutionary crystal-structure search and density-functional theory. The predicted novel crystal structures realize the desirable band gaps and band edge positions for H2 evolution under visible light irradiation. It is concluded that multivalent tin oxides have a great potential as an abundant, cheap and environmentally-benign solar-energy conversion photofunctional materials. Transition metal doping is effective for sensitizing SrTiO3 under visible light. We have theoretically investigated the roles of the doped Cr in STO based on hybrid density-functional calculations. Cr atoms are preferably substituting for Ti under any equilibrium growth conditions. The lower oxidation state Cr3+, which is stabilized under an n-type condition of STO, is found to be advantageous for the photocatalytic performance. It is firther predicted that lanthanum is the best codopant for stabilizing the favorable oxidation state, Cr3+. The prediction was validated by our experiments that La and Cr co-doped STO shows the best performance among examined samples. This work was supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO) and International Research Fellow program of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) through project P14207.

Early Diagenesis of Subseafloor Sandy Sediments Closely Related to Gas Hydrate Occurrences and Their Provenances in the Eastern Margin of Japan Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, T.; Sakai, H.; Horiuchi, S.; Matsumoto, R.

2015-12-01

A lot of effort have been put into recovering gas hydrate, methane induced carbonate, and associated sediments in order to develop the geologic model of gas hydrate accumulation and evaluate its possible environmental impact for the last glacial-interglacial cycles. Having investigated gas hydrate occurrences in the eastern margin of Japan Sea revealed wide distributions of chimney-shape gas hydrate concentrations beneath the seafloor, confirmed off Shimane and off Akita/Yamagata as well as off Joetsu (Niigata), which are quite different from the occurrences of pore space hydrate filling intergranular pore systems of sands recognized in Nankai Trough, Mallik and other sites. Many sediment samples have been obtained below from the Umitaka Spur, Joetsu Channel, Toyama Trough, Mogami Trough and Okushiri Ridge areas. Small amounts of sandy sediment have been retrieved as thin intercalations in Holocene and Pleistocene silty/muddy layers, where trace fossils and strong bioturbations are commonly observed. Sandy sediments consist of very fine- to fine-grained sand grains, and are sometimes tuffaceous. Pore-size distribution measurements and thin-section observations of these sands were carried out, which indicate that porosities of silty sediments are around 50 % but those of arenites range from 42 to 52 %, of which mean pore sizes and permeabilities are larger than those of silty sediments. These coarser sediments might have been transported approximately around 3 to 30 ka due to the tephra ages, where supplying sediments might be abundant due to sea level fluctuation during the Pleistocene ice age. Sandy sediments contain not only detrital quartz and feldspar but mafic minerals (pyroxene, amphibole and mica), contents of which may indicate their provenances. Silty/muddy sediments usually contain diatom tests, foraminifers and framboidal pyrites, and, in particular, the shapes of diatom are usually various, dominantly fragmental and infrequently preserved. It is

Japan Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-18

increased profitability, productivity and more effective management ." Members of the British side also called for an increase in Japan’s defense...copyright transfer, or rental permission is called technology trade. According to the Statistic Bureau of the Management and Coordina- tion Agency...1- 8.8 -Swizerland 6.3 5.6 Others 13.1 Source: Statistics Bureau of the Management and Coordination Agency China. 66.2% of Japan’s imported

Industrial lasers in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karube, Norio

1991-03-01

I am to report on some aspects of industrial lasers in Japan. Mostly centering on the market. In Japan, the history of laser developnent is rather profound. And long. Ever since the first invention of the laser in this country in 1960. This is partly because of the fact that in Japan the spectroscopic studies of the ruby was very popular in the late 1950's. Ever since niost of the work has been done in the research laboratories of the industry, not in the universities or not in the governmental laboratories. And since that time our first activity was mainly centering on the basic research, but after that time we have the evolution of the technology. One of the features in Japan is that the activity of developement and research of laser technology from the very basic phase up to the present commercialization has been done by the same group of people, including ine. We had a national project which ended about six years ago which was sponsored by MITI. MITI is Ministry of International Trade and Industry in Japan. And because of this national project, the effect of this project had a very enlightening effect in Japan. And after that our Japanese laser market became very flourishing.

JSUS solar thermal thruster and its integration with thermionic power converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Morio; Eguchi, Kunihisa; Itoh, Katsuya; Sato, Hitoshi; Fujii, Tadayuki; Okamoto, Ken-Ichi; Igarashi, Tadashi

1998-01-01

This paper describes solar heating test results of a single crystal Mo thruster of solar thermal propulsion (STP) with super high-temperature brazing of Mo/Ru for hydrogen-gas sealing, using the paraboloidal concentrator of 1.6 m diameter newly installed in NAL in the Japan Solar Upper Stage (JSUS) research program. The designed thruster has a target Isp about 800 sec for 2,250 K or higher temperatures of hydrogen propellant. Additionally, tungsten CVD-coating was applied to a outer surface of the thruster in order to prevent vaporization of the wall material and Mo/Ru under the condition of high temperature over 2,500K and high vacuum. Also addressed in our paper is solar thermionic power module design for the integration with the STP receiver. The thermionic converter (TIC) module is of a planar type in a Knudsen-mode operation and provides a high conversion efficiency of 23% at the TIC emitter temperature of nearly 1,850 K for a heat input flux of 24 W/cm2.

Longterm and spatial variability of Aerosol optical properties measured by sky radiometer in Japan sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, K.

2016-12-01

Aerosols and cloud play an important role in the climate change. We started the long-term monitoring of aerosol and cloud optical properties since 1990's by using sky radiometer (POM-01, 02; Prede Co. Ltd., Japan). We provide the information, in this presentation, on the aerosol optical properties with respect to their temporal and spatial variability in Japan site (ex. Sapporo, Toyama, Kasuga and etc). The global distributions of aerosols have been derived from earth observation satellite and have been simulated in numerical models, which assume optical parameters. However, these distributions are difficult to derive because of variability in time and space. Therefore, Aerosol optical properties were investigated using the measurements from ground-based and ship-borne sky radiometer. The sky radiometer is an automatic instrument that takes observations only in daytime under the clear sky conditions. Observation of diffuse solar intensity interval was made every ten or five minutes by once. The aerosol optical properties were computed using the SKYRAD.pack version 4.2. The obtained Aerosol optical properties (Aerosol optical thickness, Ångström exponent, Single scattering albedo, and etc.) and size distribution volume clearly showed spatial and temporal variability in Japan area. In this study, we present the temporal and spatial variability of Aerosol optical properties at several Japan sites, applied to validation of satellite and numerical models. This project is validation satellite of GCOM-C, JAXA. The GCOM-C satellite scheduled to be launched in early 2017.

Japan Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-02-03

of Keidanren’s U.S. Investment Mission, who is also vice chairman of the Industrial Bank of Japan; Mamoru Sakai, leader of the B Group of...Keidanren’s U.S. Investment Mission, who is also a director of the Japan Long-Term Credit Bank ; Masayoshi Tozaki, leader of the C Group of Keidanren’s U.S...Constitution. At the same time, Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Volcker has repeatedly stressed that maintaining the value of the dollar is essential. In

Japan: Teaching Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadley, Marilyn, Ed.; And Others

This teaching guide was developed by undergraduate elementary education students as part of the requirements for a social studies methods course. The guide presents nine teaching units about various aspects of Japan. The unit topics range from the broad to the specific, and reflect a variety of approaches for teaching about Japan in the public…

Japan's High Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohlen, Thomas P.

The author, an anthropologist, spent 14 months (1974-75) in the industrial port city of Kobe (Japan) observing a cross section of urban high schools, including Japan's most elite private school and a night vocational school plagued by absenteeism and delinquency. He reports on the character of the institutions and of the experience via…

Microelectronics in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boulton, William R.

1995-02-01

The purpose of this JTEC study is to evaluate Japan's electronic manufacturing and packaging capabilities within the context of global economic competition. To carry out this study, the JTEC panel evaluated the framework of the Japanese consumer electronics industry and various technological and organizational factors that are likely to determine who will win and lose in the marketplace. This study begins with a brief overview of the electronics industry, especially as it operates in Japan today. Succeeding chapters examine the electronics infrastructure in Japan and take an in-depth look at the central issues of product development in order to identify those parameters that will determine future directions for electronic packaging technologies.

Microelectronics in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boulton, William R.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this JTEC study is to evaluate Japan's electronic manufacturing and packaging capabilities within the context of global economic competition. To carry out this study, the JTEC panel evaluated the framework of the Japanese consumer electronics industry and various technological and organizational factors that are likely to determine who will win and lose in the marketplace. This study begins with a brief overview of the electronics industry, especially as it operates in Japan today. Succeeding chapters examine the electronics infrastructure in Japan and take an in-depth look at the central issues of product development in order to identify those parameters that will determine future directions for electronic packaging technologies.

Globalization and Education in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohkura, Kentaro; Shibata, Masako

2009-01-01

In this paper, the authors contend that globalization in Japan is the gradual process in which Japan's positioning of "self" within international relations, which had formerly been dominated by the West, has changed. Accordingly, Japan's relationships with the West and the rest of the world, for example, Asia, have also been reviewed and…

The Yohkoh mission for high-energy solar physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acton, L.; Tsuneta, S.; Ogawara, Y.; Bentley, R.; Bruner, M.; Canfield, R.; Culhane, L.; Doschek, G.; Hiei, E.; Hirayama, T.

1992-01-01

Data on solar flare mechanisms and the sun's corona will be generated by Japan's Yohkoh satellite's X-ray imaging sensors and X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers. It is noted that the X-ray corona above active regions expands, in some cases almost continually, in contradiction of the widely accepted model of magnetohydrostatic equilibrium in such regions. Flaring X-ray bright points have been discovered to often involve ejecta into an adjacent, much larger and fainter magnetic loop, which brightens along its length at speeds up to 1000 km/sec.

The YOHKOH mission for high-energy solar physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acton, L.; Tsuneta, S.; Ogawara, Y.; Bentley, R.; Bruner, M.; Canfield, R.; Culhane, L.; Doschek, G.; Hiei, E.; Hirayama, T.

1992-10-01

Data on solar flare mechanisms and the sun's corona will be generated by Japan's Yohkoh satellite's X-ray imaging sensors and X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers. It is noted that the X-ray corona above active regions expands, in some cases almost continually, in contradiction of the widely accepted model of magnetohydrostatic equilibrium in such regions. Flaring X-ray bright points have been discovered to often involve ejecta into an adjacent, much larger and fainter magnetic loop, which brightens along its length at speeds up to 1000 km/sec.

Support for solar energy: Examining sense of place and utility-scale development in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Juliet E. Carlisle; Stephanie L. Kane; David Solan

2015-07-01

As solar costs have declined PV systems have experienced considerable growth since 2003, especially in China, Japan, Germany, and the U.S. Thus, a more nuanced understanding of a particular public's attitudes toward utility-scale solar development, as it arrives in a market and region, is warranted and will likely be instructive for other areas in the world where this type of development will occur in the near future. Using data collected from a 2013 telephone survey (N = 594) from the six Southern Californian counties selected based on existing and proposed solar developments and available suitable land, we examine public attitudesmore » toward solar energy and construction of large-scale solar facilities, testing whether attitudes toward such developments are the result of sense of place and attachment to place. Overall, we have mixed results. Place attachment and sense of place fail to produce significant effects except in terms of perceived positive benefits. That is, respondents interpret the change resulting from large-scale solar development in a positive way insofar as perceived positive economic impacts are positively related to support for nearby large-scale construction.« less

Free Resources for Teaching about Japan. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wojtan, Linda S.

A collection of sources of information about Japan and resource materials available for teaching about Japan are included in this document. Part one, "Who and Where" lists names and addresses from a variety of sources including the Embassy and Consulates General of Japan, the Japan Foundation, Japan Trade Centers (Japan External Trade…

Tohoku Tsunami Debris, Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-14

The Mar. 11, 2011, Tohoku, Japan earthquake and tsunami devastated a large extent of the northeastern Japan coast, and virtually erased many villages and cities from the map. NASA Terra spacecraft acquired this image of Sendai on Mar. 14, 2011.

[Building epilepsy care network in Japan].

PubMed

Otsuki, Taisuke

2012-01-01

Number of epilepsy patient in Japan officially surveyed by our government in 2008 is 219,000, which is only 0.17% of the total population and less than one third of the prevalence rate reported in Western countries. Number of epilepsy surgery per year in Japan is also low and less than half of other countries such as US, UK and Korea. These numbers may suggest that epilepsy care in Japan is not sufficient to cover all hidden medical needs of people with epilepsy at present. To solve this issue, our research group funded by the government have started to build an epilepsy care network among primary care physicians, secondary care neurology specialists and tertiary care epilepsy centers by utilizing a web site: Epilepsy Care Network-Japan (http://www.ecn-japan.com/) from July 2012. We are also proposing an epilepsy care algorithm suitable for our complex medical community consisted with various neurology specialists such as pediatric and adult neurologists, neurosurgeons and psychiatrists. Building Epilepsy Care Network in Japan may facilitate better medical and social support for people with epilepsy in Japan.

Characteristics of Wet Deposition in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwasaki, A.; Arakaki, T.

2017-12-01

Acid deposition survey in Japan has started since 1991 by Japan Environmental Laboratories Association (JELA). The JELA has about 60 monitoring sites for wet deposition including remote, rural and urban area. The measured constituents of wet deposition are; precipitation, pH, electric conductivity, major Anions, and major Cations. From those data, we analyze spatial and temporal variations of wet deposition components in Japan. Among the 60 monitoring sites, 39 sampling sites were selected in this study, which have kept sampling continuously between 2003JFY and 2014JFY. All samples were collected by wet-only samplers. To analyze area characteristics, all the areas were divided into 6 regions; Northern part of Japan (NJ), Facing the Japan Sea (JS), Eastern part of Japan (EJ), Central part of Japan (CJ), Western part of Japan (WJ) and Southern West Islands (SW). NO3- and non-sea-salt-SO42- (nss-SO42-) are major components of rain acidification. Especially, between December and February (winter) the air mass from west affected the temporal variations of those acid components and the concentrations were higher in JS and WJ regions than those in other regions. Japanese ministry of the Environment reported that mixing ratio of NO2 in Japan has been less than 0.04ppm since 1976, and that of SO2 has been less than 0.02ppm since 1978. Their concentrations in Japan have remained flat or slowly decreased recently. However the temporal variations of NO3-/nss-SO42- ratio in winter in JS region were significantly increased on average at 2.2% y-1 from 2003JFY to 2014JFY. The results suggest that long-range transboundary air pollutants increased NO3- concentrations and NO3-/nss-SO42- ratio.

Renewable Energy Opportunities at the Kanto Installations, Japan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solana, Amy E.; Horner, Jacob A.; Russo, Bryan J.

2010-09-24

This document provides an overview of renewable resource development potential at the U.S. Army installations in the Kanto region in Japan, which includes Camp Zama, Yokohama North Dock, Sagamihara Family Housing Area (SFHA), Sagami General Depot, and Akasaka Press Center. This effort focuses on grid-connected generation of electricity from renewable energy sources and also on ground source heat pumps for heating and cooling buildings. The effort was funded by the Huntsville Army Corps of Engineers, and includes the development of a methodology for renewable resource assessment at Army installations located on foreign soil. The methodology is documented in Renewable Energymore » Assessment Methodology for Japanese OCONUS Army Installations. The site visit to the Kanto installations took place on April 5 and 6, 2010. At the current time, there are some renewable technologies that show economic potential. Because of siting restrictions and the small size of these installations, development of most renewable energy technologies will likely be limited to Camp Zama. Project feasibility is based on installation-specific resource availability and energy costs and projections based on accepted life-cycle cost methods. Development of any renewable energy project will be challenging, as it will require investigation into existing contractual obligations, new contracts that could be developed, the legality of certain partnerships, and available financing avenues, which involves the U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), the Government of Japan (GOJ), and a number of other parties on both sides. The Army will not be able to implement a project without involvement and approval from the other services and multiple levels of Japanese government. However, implementation of renewable energy projects could be an attractive method for GOJ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower annual utility payments to USFJ. This report recommends projects to pursue and offers approaches to use. The most

Double-lunar swingby trajectories for the spacecraft of the International Solar Terrestrial Physics program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, David W.; Jen, Shao-Chiang; Lee, Taesul; Swade, D.; Kawaguchi, Jun'ichiro; Farquhar, Robert W.; Broaddus, S.; Engel, Cheryl

1989-01-01

The ISEE-3 satellite carried out the first extensive exploration of the distant geomagnetic tail during 1983. ISEE-3's orbit was altered with four lunar gravity assists that alternately decreased and increased its orbital energy while keeping the apogees aligned in the antisolar direction. Two spacecraft of the International Solar Terrestrial Physics program will use similar double-lunar swingby orbits to study the solar wind and the geomagnetic environment. Geotail will be built in Japan for the Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences; its main purpose will be to explore the earth's geomagnetic tail. Wind is a NASA spacecraft that will monitor the solar wind upstream from the earth and will also study the bowshock region of the magnetosphere. Current plans call for launches of both by NASA with expendable launch vehicles during the second half of 1992.

Advances in food composition tables in Japan-Standard Tables Of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition).

PubMed

Watanabe, Tomoko; Kawai, Ryoko

2018-01-01

The latest version of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan-2015- comprises the main food composition table (Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan-2015-[Seventh revised Edition)) and three supplementary books. The supplementary books are Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition) - Amino Acids -, Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition) - Fatty Acids - and Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition) - Available Carbohydrates, Polyols and Organic Acids-. We believe understanding these food composition tables can give greater insight into Japan's gastronomic culture and changes in eating habits. We expect them to play important roles as part of the East Asia food composition tables. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Japan's electronic packaging technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tummala, Rao R.; Pecht, Michael

1995-01-01

The JTEC panel found Japan to have significant leadership over the United States in the strategic area of electronic packaging. Many technologies and products once considered the 'heart and soul' of U.S. industry have been lost over the past decades to Japan and other Asian countries. The loss of consumer electronics technologies and products is the most notable of these losses, because electronics is the United States' largest employment sector and is critical for growth businesses in consumer products, computers, automobiles, aerospace, and telecommunications. In the past there was a distinction between consumer and industrial product technologies. While Japan concentrated on the consumer market, the United States dominated the industrial sector. No such distinction is anticipated in the future; the consumer-oriented technologies Japan has dominated are expected to characterize both domains. The future of U.S. competitiveness will, therefore, depend on the ability of the United States to rebuild its technological capabilities in the area of portable electronic packaging.

High definition systems in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elkus, Richard J., Jr.; Cohen, Robert B.; Dayton, Birney D.; Messerschmitt, David G.; Schreiber, William F.; Tannas, Lawrence E., Jr.; Shelton, Duane

1991-01-01

The successful implementation of a strategy to produce high-definition systems within the Japanese economy will favorably affect the fundamental competitiveness of Japan relative to the rest of the world. The development of an infrastructure necessary to support high-definition products and systems in that country involves major commitments of engineering resources, plants and equipment, educational programs and funding. The results of these efforts appear to affect virtually every aspect of the Japanese industrial complex. The results of assessments of the current progress of Japan toward the development of high-definition products and systems are presented. The assessments are based on the findings of a panel of U.S. experts made up of individuals from U.S. academia and industry, and derived from a study of the Japanese literature combined with visits to the primary relevant industrial laboratories and development agencies in Japan. Specific coverage includes an evaluation of progress in R&D for high-definition television (HDTV) displays that are evolving in Japan; high-definition standards and equipment development; Japanese intentions for the use of HDTV; economic evaluation of Japan's public policy initiatives in support of high-definition systems; management analysis of Japan's strategy of leverage with respect to high-definition products and systems.

Current Status of Doping in Japan Based on Japan Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panels of the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA): A Suggestion on Anti-Doping Activities by Pharmacists in Japan.

PubMed

Imanishi, Takashi; Kawabata, Takayoshi; Takayama, Akira

2017-01-01

In 2009, the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) established the "Sports Pharmacist Accreditation Program" to prevent doping in sports. Since then, anti-doping activities in Japan have been attracting attention. In this study, we investigated research about the current status of doping from 2007 to 2014 in Japan to make anti-doping activities more concrete, and we also discussed future anti-doping activities by pharmacists. In Japan, bodybuilding was the sporting event with the highest number and rate of doping from 2007 to 2014. Many of the positive doping cases were detected for class S1 (anabolic agents), S5 (diuretics and masking agents), and S6 (stimulants). Within class S1, supplements were the main cause of positive doping. Within class S5, medicines prescribed by medical doctors were the main cause of positive doping. Within class S6, non-prescription medicines (e.g., OTC) were the main cause of positive doping. When we looked at the global statistics on doping, many of the positive doping cases were detected for class S1. On comparing the Japanese statistics with the global statistics, the rate of positive doping caused by class S1 was significantly lower, but that caused by classes S5 and S6 was significantly higher in Japan than in the world. In conclusion, pharmacists in Japan should pay attention to class S1, S5, and S6 prohibited substances and to the sport events of bodybuilding. Based on this study, sports pharmacists as well as common pharmacists should suggest new anti-doping activities to prevent doping in the future.

Anomaly of the geomagnetic Sq variation in Japan: effect from 3-D subterranean structure or the ocean effect?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuvshinov, Alexei; Utada, Hisashi

2010-12-01

Many years ago Rikitake et al. described the anomalous behaviour of the vertical component Z of the geomagnetic solar quiet (Sq) daily variation field at observatories in central and northern Japan - namely about 2 hr shift of the local noontime peak towards morning hours. They suggested that this anomaly is associated with the anomalous distribution of electrical conductivity in the mantle beneath central Japan. Although a few works have been done to confirm or argue this explanation, no clear answer has been obtained so far. The goal of this work is to understand the nature of this anomaly using our 3-D forward solution. The conductivity model of the Earth includes oceans of laterally variable conductance and conducting mantle either spherically symmetric or 3-D underneath. Data from six Japanese observatories at four seasons for two different years of the solar cycle are analysed. As an inducing ionospheric (Sq) current system, we use those provided by the Comprehensive Model (CM4) of Sabaka et al. Our analysis clearly demonstrates that 3-D induction in the ocean is responsible for the anomalous behaviour of Z daily variations in this region. We also show that the effects from a suite of 3-D mantle models that include mantle wedge and subducting slab are minor compared with the ocean effect.

Japan's advanced medicine.

PubMed

Sho, Ri; Narimatsu, Hiroto; Murakami, Masayasu

2013-10-01

Like health care systems in other developed countries, Japan's health care system faces significant challenges due to aging of the population and economic stagnation. Advanced medicine (Senshin Iryou) is a unique system of medical care in Japan offering highly technology-driven medical care that is not covered by public health insurance. Advanced medicine has recently developed and expanded as part of health care reform. Will it work? To answer this question, we briefly trace the historical development of advanced medicine and describe the characteristics and current state of advanced medical care in Japan. We then offer our opinions on the future of advanced medicine with careful consideration of its pros and cons. We believe that developing advanced medicine is an attempt to bring health care reform in line rather than the goal of health care reform.

Dust over Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

March 24, 2010 - Dust over Japan This image of gray/brown dust being blown over Japan was captured on March 21, 2010 by the MODIS on the Terra satellite. On the left is the Korean peninsula. Japan stretches diagonally across the image, up to the top right corner. The dust is likely from the sandstorm that swept across the China the previous day. The sand and dust originated from the south and east of Inner Mongolia. In this image from March 20, the dust is nearly obscuring the Bohai Sea, which is just west of the Korean peninsula. Here is a handy map. For more information related to this image go to: modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2010-0... For more information about Goddard Space Flight Center go here: www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html

A Consideration on the Future Direction of Japanese Educational System About Fostering Human Resources for the Global Society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubota, Shusuke; Shimura, Tsutomu; Takahashi, Koji

The lectures are taken, making use of the textbook of the same contents, for high school students in Japan, students at Yamagata University and at Korea Maritime University in Korea. I’ ll find the similarity and difference, by comparing vertical and horizontal relations among three groups. As a result, I can find the directionality of cultivating human resources of doing well in the global society. I think there is “Matrix Thinking Frame” as one of the effective countermeasures for fostering men of ability. It is possible to part from conventional passiveness type education, according to planning and practicing one’ s “Life Management Plan” by using this system. The case where one’ s capability has been extended appears in students, as above mentioned.

Groundwater contamination in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tase, Norio

1992-07-01

Problems on groundwater contamination in Japan are briefly summarized in this paper. Although normal physical conditions in Japan restrict the possibilities of groundwater contamination, human activities are threatening groundwater resources. A survey by the Environment Agency of Japan showed nationwide spreading of organic substances, such as trichloroethylene as well as nitrogen compounds. Synthetic detergents have also been detected even in rural areas and in deep confined aquifers, although their concentrations are not as high. Public awareness of agrichemical or pesticides abuse, especially from golf courses, is apparent. Other problems such as nitrate-nitrogen, leachate from landfills, and the leaking of underground storage tanks are also discussed.

Recent meteor observing activities in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, M.

2005-02-01

The meteor train observation (METRO) campaign is described as an example of recent meteor observing activity in Japan. Other topics of meteor observing activities in Japan, including Ham-band radio meteor observation, the ``Japan Fireball Network'', the automatic video-capture software ``UFOCapture'', and the Astro-classroom programme are also briefly introduced.

Fluctuations in Tree Ring Cellulose d18O during the Little Ice Age Correlate with Solar Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Y. T.; Yokoyama, Y.; Miyahara, H.; Nakatsuka, T.

2008-12-01

The Maunder Minimum (AD1645-1715), when sunspots became exceedingly rare, is known to coincide with the coldest period during the Little Ice Age. This is a useful period to investigate possible linkage between solar activity and climate because variation in solar activity was different from that of today. The solar cycle length was longer (14 and 28 years) than that of today (11 and 22 years) hence any climate archives that have similar periodic changes could be separated from other internal climate forcing. We have reported that Greenland temperature variations coincided with decadal-scale variability in solar activity during the Maunder Minimum (Miyahara et al. 2008). Here we report interannual and intra-annual relative humidity (RH) variations in central Japan during that period, using tree ring cellulose d18O in a 382-year-old Japanese cedar tree (Cryptomeria japonica). The isotopic composition of tree rings can be a powerful tool to study the relationship between solar activity and climate, because we can directly compare solar activity (D14C) and climate (d18O) with little dating error. The climate proxy obtained using tree ring cellulose d18O is correlated both negatively and positively with RH and d18O in precipitation, respectively. Since d18O in precipitation is negatively correlated with the amount of precipitation in the monsoon area, tree ring cellulose d18O can be a reliable proxy for past RH and/or amount of precipitation in the area of the interest. Tree ring cellulose d18O of the cedar tree during AD1938-1998 in fact correlates significantly with the mean RH in June in central Japan. Tree ring d18O inferred RH variability during the Maunder Minimum shows distinct high RH spikes with an approximate 14-year quasiperiodicity. All nine solar minima during AD1640-1756 deduced from tree ring D14C coincided with high RH spikes, and seven of which coincided within 1-year. Interannual RH variations also coincided with Greenland temperature during this

A Cultural Experience: Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Robert W.; And Others

This activities unit for teaching about Japan is designed for use with elementary students. The activities reflect the growing importance of Japan in today's world, and the belief that the social studies curriculum should reflect principles of global education. The unit is intended to explore seven major goals included in the social studies…

Teaching about Japan: Lessons and Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernson, Mary Hammond, Ed.; Wojtan, Linda S., Ed.

This document is a revised and updated version of two publications: "Modern Japan: An Idea Book for K-12 Teachers" and "Resources for Teaching About Japan." These lesson plans were developed by teachers who participated in a summer institute on Japan, sponsored by the East Asia Resource Center at the Jackson School of…

Can wolves help save Japan's mountain forests?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber-Meyer, Shannon

2017-01-01

Japan’s wolves were extinct by 1905. Today Japan's mountain forests are being killed by overabundant sika deer and wild boars. Since the early 1990s, the Japan Wolf Association has proposed wolf reintroduction to Japan to restore rural ecology and to return a culturally important animal. In this article I discuss whether the return of wolves could help save Japan's mountain forests.

FBIS report. Science and technology: Japan, February 20, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-02-20

;Partial Contents: Energy (Japan: MHI Discovers Maritime Photo Plankton that Produces Ethanol from CO2, Japan: Tokyo Electric Power Co.`s PAFC Development); Telecommunications (Japan: Report on 1st Asian Telecommunications Industry Exchange, Japan: MPT Reports Test Evaluation Results for PHS); Defense Industries (Japan: Expert on Shipbuilding, Welding Technology, Japan: Komatsu R&D Chief on Dream of Ground Robots; Japan: Defense Simulator Series, Part 7: Torpedo Simulator).

Yoga Therapy in Japan.

PubMed

Kimura, By Keishin

2017-08-01

This perspective piece gives an overview of the current situation of yoga therapy in Japan today. Traditional yoga in Japan suffered a serious setback in 1995 with a nerve gas terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway, which was carried out by a cult that recruited members through yoga classes. But with the increase in popularity with modern forms of yoga such as Iyengar yoga, Ashtanga yoga and hot yoga in the West, the general public in Japan today is forgetting its aversion to yoga and considers it to be something that can contribute to good health. In 2012, the Japan Yoga Therapy Society (JYTS) conducted a study on adverse events in yoga classes throughout Japan with the University of Kyushu School of Medicine, with support from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. This study indicated that more than half of people attending yoga classes have some form of chronic illness, with 42.3% receiving outpatient care. This survey was the beginning of growing interest from both the government and universities in yoga therapy. JYTS is beginning to make inroads into bringing yoga therapy into cancer and palliative care, senior citizen homes, alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation, cardiovascular rehabilitation, and research on trauma and schizophrenia. While there are still limited opportunities for yoga therapists to work in mainstream healthcare services, there is growing interest among medical professionals in both physical and mental health. JYTS is beginning to make inroads into bringing yoga therapy into cancer and palliative care, senior citizen homes, alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation, cardiovascular rehabilitation, and research on trauma and schizophrenia. While there are still limited opportunities for yoga therapists to work in mainstream healthcare services, there is growing interest among medical professionals in both physical and mental health. This perspective piece introduces some of the developments in yoga therapy research and practice in

Yoga Therapy in Japan.

PubMed

Kimura, Keishin

2017-11-01

This perspective piece gives an overview of the current situation of yoga therapy in Japan today. Traditional yoga in Japan suffered a serious setback in 1995 with a nerve gas terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway, which was carried out by a cult that recruited members through yoga classes. But with the increase in popularity with modern forms of yoga such as Iyengar yoga, Ashtanga yoga and hot yoga in the West, the general public in Japan today is forgetting its aversion to yoga and considers it to be something that can contribute to good health. In 2012, the Japan Yoga Therapy Society (JYTS) conducted a study on adverse events in yoga classes throughout Japan with the University of Kyushu School of Medicine, with support from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. This study indicated that more than half of people attending yoga classes have some form of chronic illness, with 42.3% receiving outpatient care. This survey was the beginning of growing interest from both the government and universities in yoga therapy. JYTS is beginning to make inroads into bringing yoga therapy into cancer and palliative care, senior citizen homes, alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation, cardiovascular rehabilitation, and research on trauma and schizophrenia. While there are still limited opportunities for yoga therapists to work in mainstream healthcare services, there is growing interest among medical professionals in both physical and mental health. JYTS is beginning to make inroads into bringing yoga therapy into cancer and palliative care, senior citizen homes, alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation, cardiovascular rehabilitation, and research on trauma and schizophrenia. While there are still limited opportunities for yoga therapists to work in mainstream healthcare services, there is growing interest among medical professionals in both physical and mental health. This perspective piece introduces some of the developments in yoga therapy research and practice in

TWELVE DOORS TO JAPAN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BEARDSLEY, RICHARD K.; HALL, JOHN WHITNEY

THE TWELVE DOORS OF THIS COLLEGE-LEVEL TEXT ARE TWELVE CHAPTERS ON ASPECTS OF JAPAN AND JAPANESE CULTURE AS TREATED BY VARIOUS ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES. THE AUTHORS' PURPOSE IN CHOOSING THIS FORMAT WAS TO PRESENT INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION ABOUT JAPAN AND TO ACQUAINT STUDENTS WITH THE AIMS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS OF DISCIPLINES OTHER THAN THE ONE THEY…

Support for solar energy: Examining sense of place and utility-scale development in California

DOE PAGES

Carlisle, Juliet E.; Kane, Stephanie L.; Solan, David; ...

2014-08-20

As solar costs have declined PV systems have experienced considerable growth since 2003, especially in China, Japan, Germany, and the U.S. Thus, a more nuanced understanding of a particular public's attitudes toward utility-scale solar development, as it arrives in a market and region, is warranted and will likely be instructive for other areas in the world where this type of development will occur in the near future. Using data collected from a 2013 telephone survey (N=594) from the six Southern Californian counties selected based on existing and proposed solar developments and available suitable land, we examine public attitudes toward solarmore » energy and construction of large-scale solar facilities, testing whether attitudes toward such developments are the result of sense of place and attachment to place. Overall, we have mixed results. Place attachment and sense of place fail to produce significant effects except in terms of perceived positive benefits. That is, respondents interpret the change resulting from large-scale solar development in a positive way insofar as perceived positive economic impacts are positively related to support for nearby large-scale construction.« less

Helicobacter pylori infection in Japan

PubMed Central

Shiota, Seiji; Murakawi, Kazunari; Suzuki, Rumiko; Fujioka, Toshio; Yamaoka, Yoshio

2013-01-01

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is gradually decreasing in Japan. On the main island of Japan, nearly all H. pylori isolates possess cagA and vacA with strong virulence. However, less virulent H. pylori strains are frequently found in Okinawa where cases of gastric cancer are the lowest in Japan. Eradication therapy for peptic ulcer, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and early gastric cancer after endoscopic resection has been approved by the Japanese national health insurance system. However, the Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research recently stated that all ‘H. pylori infection’ was considered as the indication for eradication irrespective of the background diseases. To eliminate H. pylori in Japan, the Japanese health insurance system should approve the eradication of all H. pylori infections. PMID:23265147

Report of the IAU Working Group on Solar Eclipses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasachoff, Jay M.

2015-08-01

The Working Group on Solar Eclipses coordinates scientists and information in the study of the Sun and the heliosphere at solar eclipses. Our Website at http://eclipses.info has a wide variety of information, including links to maps and other websites dealing with solar eclipses, as well as information on how to observe the partial-phases of solar eclipses safely and why it is interesting for not only scientists but also for the public to observe eclipses and to see how we work to uncover the mysteries of the sun's upper atmosphere. In the last triennium, there were total eclipses in Australia and the Pacific in 2012; in an arc across Africa from Gabon to Uganda and Kenya in 2013; and in the Arctic, including Svalbard and the Faeroes plus many airplanes aloft, in 2015. In the coming triennium, there will be total solar eclipses in Indonesia and the Pacific in 2016 and then, on 21 August 2017, a total solar eclipse that will sweep across the Continental United States from northwest to southeast. Mapping websites, all linked to http://eclipses.info, include Fred Espenak's http://EclipseWise.com; Michael Zeiler's http://GreatAmericanEclipse.com and http://eclipse-maps.com; Xavier Jubier's http://xjubier.free.fr; and (with weather and cloudiness analysis) Jay Anderson's http://eclipser.ca. Members of the Working Group, chaired by Jay Pasachoff (U.S.), include Iraida Kim (Russia), Kiroki Kurokawa (Japan), Jagdev Singh (India), Vojtech Rusin (Slovakia), Zhongquan Qu (China), Fred Espenak (U.S.), Jay Anderson (Canada), Glenn Schneider (U.S.), Michael Gill (U.K.), Xavier Jubier (France), Michael Zeiler (U.S.), and Bill Kramer (U.S.).

Sleep, serotonin, and suicide in Japan.

PubMed

Kohyama, Jun

2011-01-01

This article reviews evidence supporting the hypothesis that suicide rates in Japan could be reduced by elevating serotonin levels via increasing the average duration of sleep. Seven major relevant findings were apparent in the literature: 1) Sleep loss is associated with suicide, but the direction of causality is equivocal. 2) Decreased serotonergic activity may be involved in suicidal behavior. 3) Sleep debt may decrease serotonergic activity. 4) The suicide rate in Japan has remained at a heightened level for the past 12 years. 5) The average sleep duration in Japan has decreased over the past 40 years. 6) The average sleep duration in Japan is among the lowest in the world. 7) The average sleep duration in Japan plateaued in 1995 and has been relatively stable since. From the research reviewed, two major problematic issues were apparent: 1) Most people in Japan receive inadequate sleep. 2) Individuals whose sleep is inadequate are unlikely to be sufficiently physically active to stimulate serotonergic systems to a desirable level. I propose that public health initiatives encouraging a longer duration of sleep may provide a relatively simple way of addressing the disturbing current trend in Japan. The combination of actigraph and brain serotonin level measurement could allow large population-based cohort studies to be designed, to elucidate the causal links between sleep duration, serotonin levels, and suicide rates.

Solar radio proxies for improved satellite orbit prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaya, Philippe; Hecker, Louis; Dudok de Wit, Thierry; Fèvre, Clémence Le; Bruinsma, Sean

2017-12-01

Specification and forecasting of solar drivers to thermosphere density models is critical for satellite orbit prediction and debris avoidance. Satellite operators routinely forecast orbits up to 30 days into the future. This requires forecasts of the drivers to these orbit prediction models such as the solar Extreme-UV (EUV) flux and geomagnetic activity. Most density models use the 10.7 cm radio flux (F10.7 index) as a proxy for solar EUV. However, daily measurements at other centimetric wavelengths have also been performed by the Nobeyama Radio Observatory (Japan) since the 1950's, thereby offering prospects for improving orbit modeling. Here we present a pre-operational service at the Collecte Localisation Satellites company that collects these different observations in one single homogeneous dataset and provides a 30 days forecast on a daily basis. Interpolation and preprocessing algorithms were developed to fill in missing data and remove anomalous values. We compared various empirical time series prediction techniques and selected a multi-wavelength non-recursive analogue neural network. The prediction of the 30 cm flux, and to a lesser extent that of the 10.7 cm flux, performs better than NOAA's present prediction of the 10.7 cm flux, especially during periods of high solar activity. In addition, we find that the DTM-2013 density model (Drag Temperature Model) performs better with (past and predicted) values of the 30 cm radio flux than with the 10.7 flux.

Psychology in Japan.

PubMed

Imada, Hiroshi; Tanaka-Matsumi, Junko

2016-06-01

The purpose of this article is to provide information about Japan and its psychology in advance of the 31st International Congress of Psychology (ICP), to be held in Yokohama, Japan, in 2016. The article begins with the introduction of the Japanese Psychological Association (JPA), the hosting organization of the ICP 2016, and the Japanese Union of Psychological Associations consisting of 51 associations/societies, of which the JPA is a member. This is followed by a brief description of a history of psychology of Japan, with emphasis on the variation in our approach to psychology in three different periods, that is, the pre- and post-Pacific War periods, and the post-1960 period. Next, the international contributions of Japanese psychology/psychologists are discussed from the point of view of their visibility. Education and training in psychology in Japanese universities is discussed with a final positive remark about the long-awaited enactment of the Accredited Psychologist Law in September, 2015. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Guidelines for obstetrical practice in Japan: Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) and Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (JAOG) 2014 edition.

PubMed

Minakami, Hisanori; Maeda, Tsugio; Fujii, Tomoyuki; Hamada, Hiromi; Iitsuka, Yoshinori; Itakura, Atsuo; Itoh, Hiroaki; Iwashita, Mitsutoshi; Kanagawa, Takeshi; Kanai, Makoto; Kasuga, Yoshio; Kawabata, Masakiyo; Kobayashi, Kosuke; Kotani, Tomomi; Kudo, Yoshiki; Makino, Yasuo; Matsubara, Shigeki; Matsuda, Hideo; Miura, Kiyonori; Murakoshi, Takeshi; Murotsuki, Jun; Ohkuchi, Akihide; Ohno, Yasumasa; Ohshiba, Yoko; Satoh, Shoji; Sekizawa, Akihiko; Sugiura, Mayumi; Suzuki, Shunji; Takahashi, Tsuneo; Tsukahara, Yuki; Unno, Nobuya; Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki

2014-06-01

The 'Clinical Guidelines for Obstetrical Practice, 2011 edition' were revised and published as a 2014 edition (in Japanese) in April 2014 by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The aims of this publication include the determination of current standard care practices for pregnant women in Japan, the widespread use of standard care practices, the enhancement of safety in obstetrical practice, the reduction of burdens associated with medico-legal and medico-economical problems, and a better understanding between pregnant women and maternity-service providers. The number of Clinical Questions and Answers items increased from 87 in the 2011 edition to 104 in the 2014 edition. The Japanese 2014 version included a Discussion, a List of References, and some Tables and Figures following the Answers to the 104 Clinical Questions; these additional sections covered common problems and questions encountered in obstetrical practice, helping Japanese readers to achieve a comprehensive understanding. Each answer with a recommendation level of A, B or C was prepared based principally on 'evidence' or a consensus among Japanese obstetricians in situations where 'evidence' was weak or lacking. Answers with a recommendation level of A or B represent current standard care practices in Japan. All 104 Clinical Questions and Answers items, with the omission of the Discussion, List of References, and Tables and Figures, are presented herein to promote a better understanding among English readers of the current standard care practices for pregnant women in Japan. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Microsystems Research in Japan

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-01

microsystems applications, like microfluidic systems, will require more than planar lithography -based fabrication processes. The committee was impressed by the...United States focused on exploiting silicon planar lithography as the core technology for microstructure fabrication, whereas Japan explored a wide...including LIGA and its extensions, micro-stereolithography, and e-beam lithography . The range of materials seen in Japan was broader than in the

[History of pandemic influenza in Japan].

PubMed

Matsumoto, Keizo

2010-09-01

In Japan, influenza like epidemics were described many times since Heian era. However, Spanish flu as the modern medicine invaded Japan in 1918, thus almost infected 390,000 patients died with associated pneumonia. After the discovery of influenza virus in 1933, Japan experienced pandemic influenza--Asian flu(H2N2) in 1957. After about 10 years, Hong Kong flu (H3N2) came to Japan at 1968. However, we had many reliable antibiotics but had not any antiviral drug at the early time. After year 2000, we fortunately obtained reliable three antiviral drugs such as amantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir. Moreover, very useful rapid test kits for influenza A and B viruses were developed and used in Japan. 2009 H1N1 influenza epidemic occured in Japan after the great epidemic in Mexico and North America but elderly patient was few. With together, host conditions regarding with high risk are changing. Lessons from past several pandemic influenza are those that many issues for changing high risk conditions, viral genetic changes, developing antiviral agents, developing new useful vaccins and determinating bacterial secondary pathogens are important.

75 FR 38119 - Polychloroprene Rubber From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-01

... Rubber From Japan AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Institution of a five-year review concerning the antidumping duty finding on polychloroprene rubber from Japan. SUMMARY: The... on polychloroprene rubber from Japan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of...

Electronic manufacturing and packaging in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Michael J.; Boulton, William R. (Editor); Kukowski, John A.; Meieran, Eugene S.; Pecht, Michael; Peeples, John W.; Tummala, Rao R.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the status of electronic manufacturing and packaging technology in Japan in comparison to that in the United States, and its impact on competition in electronic manufacturing in general. In addition to electronic manufacturing technologies, the report covers technology and manufacturing infrastructure, electronics manufacturing and assembly, quality assurance and reliability in the Japanese electronics industry, and successful product realization strategies. The panel found that Japan leads the United States in almost every electronics packaging technology. Japan clearly has achieved a strategic advantage in electronics production and process technologies. Panel members believe that Japanese competitors could be leading U.S. firms by as much as a decade in some electronics process technologies. Japan has established this marked competitive advantage in electronics as a consequence of developing low-cost, high-volume consumer products. Japan's infrastructure, and the remarkable cohesiveness of vision and purpose in government and industry, are key factors in the success of Japan's electronics industry. Although Japan will continue to dominate consumer electronics in the foreseeable future, opportunities exist for the United States and other industrial countries to capture an increasingly large part of the market. The JTEC panel has identified no insurmountable barriers that would prevent the United States from regaining a significant share of the consumer electronics market; in fact, there is ample evidence that the United States needs to aggressively pursue high-volume, low-cost electronic assembly, because it is a critical path leading to high-performance electronic systems.

Electronics manufacturing and assembly in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kukowski, John A.; Boulton, William R.

1995-01-01

In the consumer electronics industry, precision processing technology is the basis for enhancing product functions and for minimizing components and end products. Throughout Japan, manufacturing technology is seen as critical to the production and assembly of advanced products. While its population has increased less than 30 percent over twenty-five years, Japan's gross national product has increase thirtyfold; this growth has resulted in large part from rapid replacement of manual operations with innovative, high-speed, large-scale, continuously running, complex machines that process a growing number of miniaturized components. The JTEC panel found that introduction of next-generation electronics products in Japan goes hand-in-hand with introduction of new and improved production equipment. In the panel's judgment, Japan's advanced process technologies and equipment development and its highly automated factories are crucial elements of its domination of the consumer electronics marketplace - and Japan's expertise in manufacturing consumer electronics products gives it potentially unapproachable process expertise in all electronics markets.

Japan’s Role in the New Era

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-15

JAPAN’S ROLE IN THE NEW ERA BY .1 Colonel Yasuhiro Naomi ELECTE .F Japan Ground Self Defense Force ,4aY 1.4 19,92 A DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved...Colonel Yasuhiro Naomi D.ti ibltof Japan Ground Self Defense Force ,v’ilti~ity Cod - A~a~i ardj r Colonel Donald W. Boose, Jr...Pennsylvania 17013 ABSTRACT AUTHOR: Colonel Yasuhiro Naomi, Japan Ground Self -Defense Force TITLE: Japan’s Role in the New Era FORMAT: Individual Study

Explaining Meiji Japans Top Down Revolution

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

enabled Japan to become a great power also provides insights into how Japan became what it is today—an economically strong but militarily weak country...top- down nature of the Japanese revolution allowed for effective decision-making that centralized domestic politics and boosted economic ...other road focuses on changes made to compete with the West in the economic and military realm. Since Meiji Japan began in reaction to hostile Western

Public attitudes regarding large-scale solar energy development in the U.S.

DOE PAGES

Carlisle, Juliet E.; Kane, Stephanie L.; Solan, David; ...

2015-08-01

Using data collected from both a National sample as well as an oversample in U.S. Southwest, we examine public attitudes toward the construction of utility-scale solar facilities in the U.S. as well as development in one’s own county. Our multivariate analyses assess demographic and sociopsychological factors as well as context in terms of proximity of proposed project by considering the effect of predictors for respondents living in the Southwest versus those from a National sample.We find that the predictors, and impact of the predictors, related to support and opposition to solar development vary in terms of psychological and physical distance.more » Overall, for respondents living in the U.S. Southwest we find that environmentalism, belief that developers receive too many incentives, and trust in project developers to be significantly related to support and opposition to solar development, in general. When Southwest respondents consider large-scale solar development in their county, the influence of these variables changes so that property value, race, and age only yield influence. Differential effects occur for respondents of our National sample.We believe our findings to be relevant for those outside the U.S. due to the considerable growth PV solar has experienced in the last decade, especially in China, Japan, Germany, and the U.S.« less

Public attitudes regarding large-scale solar energy development in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlisle, Juliet E.; Kane, Stephanie L.; Solan, David

Using data collected from both a National sample as well as an oversample in U.S. Southwest, we examine public attitudes toward the construction of utility-scale solar facilities in the U.S. as well as development in one’s own county. Our multivariate analyses assess demographic and sociopsychological factors as well as context in terms of proximity of proposed project by considering the effect of predictors for respondents living in the Southwest versus those from a National sample.We find that the predictors, and impact of the predictors, related to support and opposition to solar development vary in terms of psychological and physical distance.more » Overall, for respondents living in the U.S. Southwest we find that environmentalism, belief that developers receive too many incentives, and trust in project developers to be significantly related to support and opposition to solar development, in general. When Southwest respondents consider large-scale solar development in their county, the influence of these variables changes so that property value, race, and age only yield influence. Differential effects occur for respondents of our National sample.We believe our findings to be relevant for those outside the U.S. due to the considerable growth PV solar has experienced in the last decade, especially in China, Japan, Germany, and the U.S.« less

A scale for measuring feelings of support and security regarding cancer care in a region of Japan: a potential new endpoint of cancer care.

PubMed

Igarashi, Ayumi; Miyashita, Mitsunori; Morita, Tatsuya; Akizuki, Nobuya; Akiyama, Miki; Shirahige, Yutaka; Eguchi, Kenji

2012-02-01

Having a sense of security about the availability of care is important for cancer patients and their families. To develop a scale for the general population to evaluate feelings of support and security regarding cancer care, and to identify factors associated with a sense of security. A cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire was administered to 8000 subjects in four areas of Japan. Sense of security was measured using five statements and using a seven-point Likert scale: "If I get cancer 1) I would feel secure in receiving cancer treatment, 2) my pain would be well relieved, 3) medical staff will adequately respond to my concerns and pain, 4) I would feel secure as a variety of medical care services are available, and 5) I would feel secure in receiving care at home." We performed an exploratory factor analysis as well as uni- and multivariate analyses to examine factors associated with such a sense of security. The five items regarding sense of security were aggregated into one factor, and Cronbach's α was 0.91. In the Yamagata area where palliative care services were not available, the sense of security was significantly lower than in the other three regions. Female gender (P=0.035), older age (P<0.001), and having cancer (P<0.001) were significantly associated with a strong sense of security. A new scale that evaluates sense of security with regard to cancer care was developed. Future studies should examine whether establishing a regional health care system that provides quality palliative care could improve the sense of security of the general population. Copyright © 2012 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Solar-B Mission: First Light, Future Plans and Community Participation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, John M.

2006-01-01

The Solar-B spacecraft was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center into a circular, sun-synchronous, polar orbit by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency in late September 2006. The spacecraft carries thee scientific instruments designed to follow the flow of magnetic energy from the photosphere to the corona to improve our understanding of both steady state and transient energy release. This goal will be achieved through coordinated observations of three highly advanced solar telescopes developed cooperatively by teams from Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. The three telescopes are a 0.5m aperture, diffraction limited, solar optical telescope (SOT), an X-ray telescope (XRT) designed for full sun imaging with 1.0 arcsec pixels and an EUV imaging spectrometer (EIS) with an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over past instruments. The SOT focal plane contains three instruments, a spectropolarimeter for measuring vector magnetic fields, a broadband filter imager for recording images of the photosphere and chromosphere at the highest resolution the telescope is capable of, and a narrow band filter imager that will record Doppler grams and vector magnetograms. The XRT has broad temperature coverage and a spatial a resolution three times as high as Yohkoh. EIS covers a broad range of transition region and coronal temperatures in two spectral bands. Both XRT and EIS have 2 arcsec spatial resolution (1 arcsec pixels). Instrument first light occurred after five weeks on orbit to allow for out gassing and the opening of the telescopes doors. The initial observation sequences are designed to test the functionality of the different operating modes and for calibration. After this commissioning phase is complete a series of observations are planned to demonstrate the ability of the instruments to meet NASA's mission minimum success criteria. Data is downloaded every orbit to the Norwegian high latitude ground station at Svalbard. The data are

Contraception in Japan: Current trends.

PubMed

Yoshida, Honami; Sakamoto, Haruka; Leslie, Asuka; Takahashi, Osamu; Tsuboi, Satoshi; Kitamura, Kunio

2016-06-01

High proportion of Japanese uses condoms; lower proportion uses oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). We examined the longitudinal patterns for contraceptive usage in Japan and evaluated differences before and after OCP government approval. We accessed nationally representative survey data for women aged 16-49years from 1950 to 2014. Usage of condoms and OCP was 83.4% and 3.0%, respectively in 2014. OCP use before (1.21%) and after (1.97%) government approval did not differ significantly (p=.58). The prevalence of OCP usage remains low in Japan. A wide gap in use between Japan and other developed countries exists. Through a wide gap in OCP use between Japan and other countries, we revealed how choices of contraceptive methods and their benefits could be openly available for women of reproductive age, and how health care professionals disseminate appropriate knowledge about contraception for women in need. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermal storage/discharge performances of Cu-Si alloy for solar thermochemical process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gokon, Nobuyuki; Yamaguchi, Tomoya; Cho, Hyun-seok; Bellan, Selvan; Hatamachi, Tsuyoshi; Kodama, Tatsuya

2017-06-01

The present authors (Niigata University, Japan) have developed a tubular reactor system using novel "double-walled" reactor/receiver tubes with carbonate molten-salt thermal storage as a phase change material (PCM) for solar reforming of natural gas and with Al-Si alloy thermal storage as a PCM for solar air receiver to produce high-temperature air. For both of the cases, the high heat capacity and large latent heat (heat of solidification) of the PCM phase circumvents the rapid temperature change of the reactor/receiver tubes at high temperatures under variable and uncontinuous characteristics of solar radiation. In this study, we examined cyclic properties of thermal storage/discharge for Cu-Si alloy in air stream in order to evaluate a potentiality of Cu-Si alloy as a PCM thermal storage material. Temperature-increasing performances of Cu-Si alloy are measured during thermal storage (or heat-charge) mode and during cooling (or heat-discharge) mode. A oxidation state of the Cu-Si alloy after the cyclic reaction was evaluated by using electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA).

Recent trends for drug lag in clinical development of oncology drugs in Japan: does the oncology drug lag still exist in Japan?

PubMed

Maeda, Hideki; Kurokawa, Tatsuo

2015-12-01

This study exhaustively and historically investigated the status of drug lag for oncology drugs approved in Japan. We comprehensively investigated oncology drugs approved in Japan between April 2001 and July 2014, using publicly available information. We also examined changes in the status of drug lag between Japan and the United States, as well as factors influencing drug lag. This study included 120 applications for approval of oncology drugs in Japan. The median difference over a 13-year period in the approval date between the United States and Japan was 875 days (29.2 months). This figure peaked in 2002, and showed a tendency to decline gradually each year thereafter. In 2014, the median approval lag was 281 days (9.4 months). Multiple regression analysis identified the following potential factors that reduce drug lag: "Japan's participation in global clinical trials"; "bridging strategies"; "designation of priority review in Japan"; and "molecularly targeted drugs". From 2001 to 2014, molecularly targeted drugs emerged as the predominant oncology drug, and the method of development has changed from full development in Japan or bridging strategy to global simultaneous development by Japan's taking part in global clinical trials. In line with these changes, the drug lag between the United States and Japan has significantly reduced to less than 1 year.

Advanced composites in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diefendorf, R. Judd; Hillig, William G.; Grisaffe, Salvatore J.; Pipes, R. Byron; Perepezko, John H.; Sheehan, James E.

1994-01-01

The JTEC Panel on Advanced Composites surveyed the status and future directions of Japanese high-performance ceramic and carbon fibers and their composites in metal, intermetallic, ceramic, and carbon matrices. Because of a strong carbon and fiber industry, Japan is the leader in carbon fiber technology. Japan has initiated an oxidation-resistant carbon/carbon composite program. With its outstanding technical base in carbon technology, Japan should be able to match present technology in the U.S. and introduce lower-cost manufacturing methods. However, the panel did not see any innovative approaches to oxidation protection. Ceramic and especially intermetallic matrix composites were not yet receiving much attention at the time of the panel's visit. There was a high level of monolithic ceramic research and development activity. High temperature monolithic intermetallic research was just starting, but notable products in titanium aluminides had already appeared. Matrixless ceramic composites was one novel approach noted. Technologies for high temperature composites fabrication existed, but large numbers of panels or parts had not been produced. The Japanese have selected aerospace as an important future industry. Because materials are an enabling technology for a strong aerospace industry, Japan initiated an ambitious long-term program to develop high temperature composites. Although just starting, its progress should be closely monitored in the U.S.

Will Japan Become a Military Superpower?

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-15

SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM PROJECT TASK WORK ý;NiT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. CCESSiON NO 11. TITLE (Include Security Ciassification) Will Japan Become a... competition , Japan can no longer continue with status quo. Security relationships within the Asia-Pacific region are changing. The end of the Cold War...of the work on the aircraft while Mitsubishi would pick up the remaining 60 percent. This aircraft will use leading-edge technology. Japan wants to

Urologic cancer in Japan: role of Japan at the frontier of issues in Asia.

PubMed

Akaza, Hideyuki

2016-01-01

The characteristics of urological cancer in Japan can be summarized in the following points. (i) As the onset of this type of cancer is typically seen in elderly patients, it is becoming a major social issue in Japan that has already become an aging society. (ii) Many diverse treatment methods are available and a response is required that prioritizes quality of life. (iii) Although vigorous research and development efforts into new drugs are being carried out on a global level, resulting in beneficial medical agents becoming more readily available, unless concepts relating to cost vs. effectiveness are further developed and there is a real risk that medical systems and structures in their current form will become unsustainable. (iv) Although at the current point there are no original large-scale clinical trials being conducted in Asia, Japan has a wealth of experience of participating in many international joint clinical trials and it is therefore an urgent and pressing challenge to organize joint clinical trials in Asia and amass a body of knowledge that is unique to Asia. In view of this current situation and given Japan's position at the frontier of issues, it is important for Japan to take the initiative in Asia in cooperating with other Asian nations in efforts to resolve and overcome various challenges. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nova in Ophiuchus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Templeton, Matthew R.

2009-08-01

Nova Ophiuchi 2009 was discovered by Koichi Itagaki, Teppo-Cho, Yamagata, Japan, at unfiltered CCD magnitude 10.1 on August 16.515 UT, and confirmed by him on Aug. 16.526. After posting to the CBET Unconfirmed Observations page, the object was confirmed independently by several observers. The discovery and confirmatory information were intially reported in CBET 1910, CBET 1911, and AAVSO Special Notice #166. The nova, located in a very crowded field within the Milky Way, is reported by T. Kato (vsnet-alert 11399) to have a large B-V (+1.6), indicating it is highly reddened. N Oph 2009 has been assigned the identifiers VSX J173819.7-264413 and the AUID 000-BJP-605. Please submit observations to the AAVSO International Database using the name N OPH 2009.

The US Occupation and Japan's New Democracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumano, Ruriko

2007-01-01

During the US Occupation of Japan (1945-1952), a victorious America attempted to reform Japanese education by replacing Japan's tradition system of values with one that promoted American democratic values. The United States had considered the source of Japan's militarism to lie in the selfless loyalty and love of country that many older Japanese…

History Textbook Controversies in Japan. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masalski, Kathleen Woods

Currently, there is a controversy in Japan about textbook treatments of Japanese military actions during World War II. This digest examines: (1) the importance of history textbooks in schools in Japan and the United States; (2) the context of history textbook controversies in Japan; (3) the current issues and contending positions in the Japanese…

Legislative Basis of Pedagogical Education in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuchai, Tetiana

2014-01-01

Legal framework policy of Japan in the field of education has been analyzed. The problem of influence of legislative materials on the development of education in Japan, its legislative support has been considered. It has been defined that directive materials affect the development of education system in Japan. Legislation policy of the country is…

Ehrlichia chaffeensis Infection of Sika Deer, Japan

PubMed Central

Kawahara, Makoto; Tajima, Tomoko; Torii, Harumi; Yabutani, Mitsutaka; Ishii, Joji; Harasawa, Makiko; Isogai, Emiko

2009-01-01

To determine whether Ehrlichia chaffeensis exists in Japan, we used PCR to examine blood from sika deer in Nara, Japan. Of 117 deer, 36 (31%) were infected with E. chaffeensis. The E. chaffeensis 16S rRNA base and GroEL amino acid sequences from Japan were most closely related to those of E. chaffeensis Arkansas. PMID:19961683

The Japan Medical Association's disaster preparedness: lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

PubMed

Ishii, Masami; Nagata, Takashi

2013-10-01

A complex disaster, the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, consisted of a large-scale earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident, resulting in more than 15 000 fatalities, injuries, and missing persons and damage over a 500-km area. The entire Japanese public was profoundly affected by "3/11." The risk of radiation exposure initially delayed the medical response, prolonging the recovery efforts. Japan's representative medical organization, the Japan Medical Association (JMA), began dispatching Japan Medical Association Teams (JMATs) to affected areas beginning March 15, 2011. About 1400 JMATs comprising nearly 5500 health workers were launched. The JMA coordinated JMAT operations and cooperated in conducting postmortem examination, transporting large quantities of medical supplies, and establishing a multiorganizational council to provide health assistance to disaster survivors. Importantly, these response efforts contributed to the complete recovery of the health care system in affected areas within 3 months, and by July 15, 2011, JMATs were withdrawn. Subsequently, JMATs II have been providing long-term continuing medical support to disaster-affected areas. However, Japan is at great risk for future natural disasters because of its Pacific Rim location. Also, its rapidly aging population, uneven distribution of and shortage of medical resources in regional communities, and an overburdened public health insurance system highlight the need for a highly prepared and effective disaster response system.

Space robotics in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittaker, William; Lowrie, James W.; Mccain, Harry; Bejczy, Antal; Sheridan, Tom; Kanade, Takeo; Allen, Peter

1994-01-01

Japan has been one of the most successful countries in the world in the realm of terrestrial robot applications. The panel found that Japan has in place a broad base of robotics research and development, ranging from components to working systems for manufacturing, construction, and human service industries. From this base, Japan looks to the use of robotics in space applications and has funded work in space robotics since the mid-1980's. The Japanese are focusing on a clear image of what they hope to achieve through three objectives for the 1990's: developing long-reach manipulation for tending experiments on Space Station Freedom, capturing satellites using a free-flying manipulator, and surveying part of the moon with a mobile robot. This focus and a sound robotics infrastructure is enabling the young Japanese space program to develop relevant systems for extraterrestrial robotics applications.

[Abortion in Japan].

PubMed

Yamamoto, K; Yamamoto, Y; Hayase, T

1993-01-01

In Japan, the artificial abortion is a penal offence; only in the presence of certain conditions it is authorized under the provision of the Eugenic Protection Law which was promulgated in 1948. According to the law, the artificial abortion is restricted to the period, in which the fetus is not viable outside of the uterus. This period is prescribed by notification from the Ministry of Public Welfare; up to now it has been shortened twice (1976, 1991). Due to the introduction of economic reasons in the list of conditions and the simplification of the procedure the artificial abortion in Japan was virtually liberalized. Prosecution for illegal abortion is very rare in recent years. The number of reported artificial abortions decreases; in the about last 30 years it reduced by half. However, the increase in the number of abortions in women younger than 20 years of age is a problem. The abortion in teenagers is late compared with that in other age groups. Although the number of neonaticides does not seem to increase, the increase in the number of abortions in teenagers remains a serious problem in Japan.

Japanese-U.S. Economic Relations. Japan Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellington, Lucien

World War II was the last time when overall U.S.-Japan relations, and the economic relationship in particular, were as bad as appears to be the case in the 1990s. The United States and Japan are, respectively, the two largest economies in the world. The Japanese have the second leading market for U.S. products trailing only Canada. Japan buys more…

Higher Education Studies in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaneko, Motohisa

2010-01-01

The rapid development of higher education in the postwar period has given rise to various problems, and higher education studies in Japan have developed in response to them. What have been the major issues, and how did academic research respond to them, in postwar Japan? This article delineates an outline of higher education studies in general,…

Disaster relief activities of the Japan self-defense force following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Yasumasa

2014-06-01

Cooperation between civilian and military forces, including the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), enabled wide-ranging disaster relief after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Nevertheless, many preventable fatalities occurred, particularly related to an inability to treat chronic disease, indicating the need to plan for the provision of long-term medical aid after natural disasters in stricken areas and evacuation shelters. To assist in this effort, this report (1) provides an overview of the consequences of the medical response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the largest natural disaster ever to hit Japan, focusing on the role and actions of the JSDF; (2) discusses the lessons learned regarding the provision of medical aid and management by the JSDF after this disaster, looking at the special challenges of meeting the needs of a rapidly aging population in a disaster situation; and (3) provides recommendations for the development of strategies for the long-term medical aid and support after natural disasters, especially with regard to the demographics of the Japanese population.

Neurosurgeons in Japan Are Exclusively Brain Surgeons.

PubMed

Asamoto, Shunji

2017-03-01

In Japan, neurosurgeons have traditionally mainly treated brain diseases, with most cases involving the spine and spinal diseases historically being treated by orthopedists. Nowadays, spinal surgery is 1 of the many subspecialties in the neurosurgical field in Japan. Most patients with neurological deficits or suspected neurological diseases see board-certified neurosurgeons directly in Japan, not through referrals from family physicians or specialists in other fields. Problems originating in the spine and spinal cord have been overlooked or misdiagnosed in these situations. Neurosurgeons in Japan must rethink the educational program to include advanced trauma life support and spinal surgery. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The NOAA Real-Time Solar-Wind (RTSW) System using ACE Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwickl, R. D.; Doggett, K. A.; Sahm, S.; Barrett, W. P.; Grubb, R. N.; Detman, T. R.; Raben, V. J.; Smith, C. W.; Riley, P.; Gold, R. E.; Mewaldt, R. A.; Maruyama, T.

1998-07-01

The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) RTSW system is continuously monitoring the solar wind and produces warnings of impending major geomagnetic activity, up to one hour in advance. Warnings and alerts issued by NOAA allow those with systems sensitive to such activity to take preventative action. The RTSW system gathers solar wind and energetic particle data at high time resolution from four ACE instruments (MAG, SWEPAM, EPAM, and SIS), packs the data into a low-rate bit stream, and broadcasts the data continuously. NASA sends real-time data to NOAA each day when downloading science data. With a combination of dedicated ground stations (CRL in Japan and RAL in Great Britain), and time on existing ground tracking networks (NASA's DSN and the USAF's AFSCN), the RTSW system can receive data 24 hours per day throughout the year. The raw data are immediately sent from the ground station to the Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colorado, processed, and then delivered to its Space Weather Operations center where they are used in daily operations; the data are also delivered to the CRL Regional Warning Center at Hiraiso, Japan, to the USAF 55th Space Weather Squadron, and placed on the World Wide Web. The data are downloaded, processed and dispersed within 5 min from the time they leave ACE. The RTSW system also uses the low-energy energetic particles to warn of approaching interplanetary shocks, and to help monitor the flux of high-energy particles that can produce radiation damage in satellite systems.

Japan: Tsunami

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

... tsunami triggered by the March 11, 2011, magnitude 8.9 earthquake centered off Japan's northeastern coast about 130 kilometers (82 ... inland from the eastern shoreline is visible in the post-earthquake image. The white sand beaches visible in the pre-earthquake view are ...

Universal varicella vaccine immunization in Japan.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Tetsushi; Kawamura, Yoshiki; Ohashi, Masahiro

2016-04-07

In 1974, Japanese scientists developed a live attenuated varicella vaccine based on the Oka strain. The efficacy of the vaccine for the prevention of varicella has been primarily demonstrated in studies conducted in the United States following the adoption of universal immunization using the Oka strain varicella vaccine in 1996. Although the vaccine was developed by Japanese scientists, until recently, the vaccine has been administered on a voluntary basis in Japan resulting in a vaccine coverage rate of approximately 40%. Therefore, Japan initiated universal immunization using the Oka strain varicella vaccine in November 2014. Given the transition from voluntary to universal immunization in Japan, it will also be important to monitor the epidemiology of varicella and herpes zoster. The efficacy and safety of co-administration of the varicella vaccine and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine have been demonstrated in many countries; however, there was no data from Japan. In order to adopt the practice of universal immunization using the Oka strain varicella vaccine in Japan, data demonstrating the efficacy and safety of co-administration of varicella vaccine and measles and rubella (MR) vaccine were required. Additionally, we needed to elucidate the appropriate time interval between the first and second administrations of the vaccine. It is also important to differentiate between wild type and Oka vaccine type strains in herpes zoster patient with past history of varicella vaccine. Thus, there are many factors to consider regarding the adoption of universal immunization in Japan to control varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differing Epidemiological Dynamics of Influenza B Virus Lineages in Guangzhou, Southern China, 2009-2010

PubMed Central

Tan, Yi; Guan, Wenda; Lam, Tommy Tsan-Yuk; Pan, Sihua; Wu, Shiguan; Zhan, Yangqing; Viboud, Cecile; Holmes, Edward C.

2013-01-01

The epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics of the two cocirculating lineages of influenza B virus, Victoria and Yamagata, are poorly understood, especially in tropical or subtropical areas of Southeast Asia. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) sequences of influenza B viruses isolated in Guangzhou, a southern Chinese city, during 2009 to 2010 and compared the demographic and clinical features of infected patients. We identified multiple viral introductions of Victoria strains from both Chinese and international sources, which formed two phylogenetically and antigenically distinct clades (Victoria 1 and 2), some of which persisted between seasons. We identified one dominant Yamagata introduction from outside China during 2009. Our phylogenetic analysis reveals the occurrence of reassortment events among the Victoria and Yamagata lineages and also within the Victoria lineage. We found no significant difference in clinical severity by influenza B lineage, with the exceptions that (i) the Yamagata lineage infected older people than either Victoria lineage and (ii) fewer upper respiratory tract infections were caused by the Victoria 2 than the Victoria 1 clade. Overall, our study reveals the complex epidemiological dynamics of different influenza B lineages within a single geographic locality and has implications for vaccination policy in southern China. PMID:24027322

Hybrids of Solar Sail, Solar Electric, and Solar Thermal Propulsion for Solar-System Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, Brian H.

2012-01-01

Solar sails have long been known to be an attractive method of propulsion in the inner solar system if the areal density of the overall spacecraft (S/C) could be reduced to approx.10 g/sq m. It has also long been recognized that the figure (precise shape) of useful solar sails needs to be reasonably good, so that the reflected light goes mostly in the desired direction. If one could make large reflective surfaces with reasonable figure at an areal density of approx.10 g/sq m, then several other attractive options emerge. One is to use such sails as solar concentrators for solar-electric propulsion. Current flight solar arrays have a specific output of approx. 100W/kg at 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) from the sun, and near-term advances promise to significantly increase this figure. A S/C with an areal density of 10 g/sq m could accelerate up to 29 km/s per year as a solar sail at 1 AU. Using the same sail as a concentrator at 30 AU, the same spacecraft could have up to approx. 45 W of electric power per kg of total S/C mass available for electric propulsion (EP). With an EP system that is 50% power-efficient, exhausting 10% of the initial S/C mass per year as propellant, the exhaust velocity is approx. 119 km/s and the acceleration is approx. 12 km/s per year. This hybrid thus opens attractive options for missions to the outer solar system, including sample-return missions. If solar-thermal propulsion were perfected, it would offer an attractive intermediate between solar sailing in the inner solar system and solar electric propulsion for the outer solar system. In the example above, both the solar sail and solar electric systems don't have a specific impulse that is near-optimal for the mission. Solar thermal propulsion, with an exhaust velocity of the order of 10 km/s, is better matched to many solar system exploration missions. This paper derives the basic relationships between these three propulsion options and gives examples of missions that might be enabled by

Psychohistorical Hypotheses on Japan's History of Hostility Towards China.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Rudmin, Floyd

2016-01-01

The accelerating tensions and military posturing between Japan and China have created a serious crisis with a danger of a catastrophic war. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the events of the current crisis, and to put it in the context of Japan's long history of hostility to China and repeated attempts at conquest. The historical record shows that Japan has attacked China at least seven times, even though China has never attacked Japan. The irrationality of Japan's behavior is demonstrated by the repetition of this hostile behavior despite the enormous human and economic costs that Japan has suffered because of it. The irrationality of Japan's militarism suggests that psychological explanations may be required to understand this phenomenon. Several hypotheses are proposed, including 1) projected paranoid aggression, 2) collective Zeigarnik compulsion, 3) perceived weakness exciting aggression, 4) national inferiority feelings, 5) cultural narcissism, and 6) Oedipal-like hatred of a parent culture.

From sword to chrysanthemum: Japan's culture of anti-miltarism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berger, T.U.

The end of the Cold War and the phenomenal increase in Japan's economic and technological power put Japan today in the position to become, if it chooses, a military as well as economic superpower. The diminution of the Soviet threat and the increasing US preoccupation with domestic problems give Japan a latitude for independent action it has not had since the end of World War II. At the same time the US-Japanese security alliance, which has enabled Japan to adopt a minimalist approach to defense and national security, is being weakened by ideologically charged trade and other economic frictions andmore » a growing American perception of Japan as a threat to its interests. Moreover, in the long run Japan faces the prospect of having to deal with other rising regional powers, most notably the People's Republic of China. This changing international security environment thus raises question whether Japan, having become an economic rival of the United States, may not in the future become a military competitor as well; whether, after having adopted a pacifist stance for half a century, Japan may choose to unsheathe its sword once again.« less

U.S.-Japan Quake Prediction Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kisslinger, Carl; Mikumo, Takeshi; Kanamori, Hiroo

For the seventh time since 1964, a seminar on earthquake prediction has been convened under the U.S.-Japan Cooperation in Science Program. The purpose of the seminar was to provide an opportunity for researchers from the two countries to share recent progress and future plans in the continuing effort to develop the scientific basis for predicting earthquakes and practical means for implementing prediction technology as it emerges. Thirty-six contributors, 15 from Japan and 21 from the U.S., met in Morro Bay, Calif.September 12-14. The following day they traveled to nearby sections of the San Andreas fault, including the site of the Parkfield prediction experiment. The conveners of the seminar were Hiroo Kanamori, Seismological Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), for the U.S., and Takeshi Mikumo, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, for Japan . Funding for the participants came from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Japan Society forthe Promotion of Science, supplemented by other agencies in both countries.

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-23

fields in an area of the East China Sea that both countries claim as their territory. Hu also announced that China would lease two giant pandas to Japan...to replace a recently deceased panda at a Tokyo zoo. Days later, after China was struck by a devastating earthquake, Japan immediately offered...other shipments of U.S. beef from Japan. In May 2007, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) announced that the United States was a “controlled

Integrated Antenna/Solar Array Cell (IA/SAC) System for Flexible Access Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Ricard Q.; Clark, Eric B.; Pal, Anna Maria T.; Wilt, David M.; Mueller, Carl H.

2004-01-01

Present satellite communications systems normally use separate solar cells and antennas. Since solar cells generally account for the largest surface area of the spacecraft, co-locating the antenna and solar cells on the same substrate opens the possibility for a number of data-rate-enhancing communications link architecture that would have minimal impact on spacecraft weight and size. The idea of integrating printed planar antenna and solar array cells on the same surface has been reported in the literature. The early work merely attempted to demonstrate the feasibility by placing commercial solar cells besides a patch antenna. Recently, Integrating multiple antenna elements and solar cell arrays on the same surface was reported for both space and terrestrial applications. The application of photovoltaic solar cell in a planar antenna structure where the radiating patch antenna is replaced by a Si solar cell has been demonstrated in wireless communication systems (C. Bendel, J. Kirchhof and N. Henze, 3rd Would Photovotaic Congress, Osaka, Japan, May 2003). Based on a hybrid approach, a 6x1 slot array with circularly polarized crossdipole elements co-located on the same surface of the solar cells array has been demonstrated (S. Vaccaro, J. R. Mosig and P. de Maagt, IEEE Trans. Ant. and Propag., Vol. 5 1, No. 8, Aug. 2003). Amorphous silicon solar cells with about 5-10% efficiency were used in these demonstrations. This paper describes recent effort to integrate advanced solar cells with printed planar antennas. Compared to prior art, the proposed WSAC concept is unique in the following ways: 1) Active antenna element will be used to achieve dynamic beam steering; 2) High efficiency (30%) GaAs multi-junction solar cells will be used instead of Si, which has an efficiency of about 15%; 3) Antenna and solar cells are integrated on a common GaAs substrate; and 4) Higher data rate capability. The IA/SAC is designed to operate at X-band (8-12 GH) and higher frequencies

Teaching about Japan in Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Helen W.

1981-01-01

Suggests that a good starting point for social studies curriculum units on Japan at the secondary school level is an analysis of the interrelationships between Japan and the United States. Information is presented on population figures, industrialization, standard of living indicators, consumer price indexes, and crude birth and death rates for…

Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference in Japan, 2nd, Tokyo, Japan, December 2-4, 1980, Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The state-of-the-art in amorphous solar cells is reviewed in terms of polycrystalline silicon solar cells, single crystal silicon solar cells, and methods of characterizing solar cells, including dielectric liquid immersion to increase cell efficiency. Compound semiconductor solar cells are explored, and new structures and advanced solar cell materials are discussed. Film deposition techniques for fabricating amorphous solar cells are presented, and the characterization, in addition to the physics and the performance, of amorphous solar cells are examined.

AERIAL MEASURING SYSTEM IN JAPAN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyons, Craig; Colton, David

2012-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Agency’s Aerial Measuring System deployed personnel and equipment to partner with the U.S. Air Force in Japan to conduct multiple aerial radiological surveys. These were the first and most comprehensive sources of actionable information for U.S. interests in Japan and provided early confirmation to the government of Japan as to the extent of the release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Generation Station. Many challenges were overcome quickly during the first 48 hours; including installation and operation of Aerial Measuring System equipment on multiple U.S. Air Force Japan aircraft, flying over difficultmore » terrain, and flying with talented pilots who were unfamiliar with the Aerial Measuring System flight patterns. These all combined to make for a dynamic and non-textbook situation. In addition, the data challenges of the multiple and on-going releases, and integration with the Japanese government to provide valid aerial radiological survey products that both military and civilian customers could use to make informed decisions, was extremely complicated. The Aerial Measuring System Fukushima response provided insight in addressing these challenges and gave way to an opportunity for the expansion of the Aerial Measuring System’s mission beyond the borders of the US.« less

Male acceptance of condoms in Japan.

PubMed

Uchida, Y

1981-01-01

Current surveys indicate that more than 70% of married couples in Japan use condoms as their primary contraceptive method. The popularity of condoms is due to the oral contraceptive (OC) pills not being recognized as safe forms of contraception and IUDs not being legalized by the government until 1974. The history of condom use in Japan goes back to 1872 when condoms of thin leather were imported into Japan from England and France. Manufacturing of condoms in Japan began in 1909, mainly as a method for venereal disease prevention. The condom and induced abortion are now the major methods of contraception. 60% of the distribution of condoms is through pharmacies and cosmetic stores; 50% of the buyers are women. Since 1955, teams of family planning workers have distributed condoms by selling on a door-to-door basis, especially to lower middle class couples. Between 1969-75, 75% of contraceptive users were using condoms. Currently there are 81% users. The rhythm method ranks second in popularity at 30% between 1969-75. OCs have gradually increased recently to 3% users, but side effects have deterred people from selecting them. The proportion of IUD users has remained at a consistently low level for the past several years. Japan accounts for 1/3 of the total world production of condoms.

L-Band RFI in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soldo, Yan; de Matthaeis, Paolo; Le Vine, David M.

2016-01-01

In recent years, three instruments have been launched into orbit with the aim of producing global maps of sea surface salinity and soil moisture using the 1400-1427 MHz band: SMOS, Aquarius and SMAP. Although this frequency band is allocated to passive measurements only, RFI (Radio-Frequency Interference) is present in the data of all three missions. On a global scale, the three sensors have observed approximately the same distribution of RFI. Japan is an important exception that has implications for the design of RFI detection algorithms. RFI in Japan is caused by a large number of emitters belonging to the same system (TV receivers) and for this reason some traditional RFI detection strategies detect little to no RFI over Japan. The study of this case has led to an improvement of the approach to detect RFI in Aquarius data.

An overview of work, retirement, and pensions in Japan.

PubMed

Bass, S A

1996-01-01

Work to retirement in Japan is a sequential transition for the most part, and Japan permits mandatory retirement by firms at age 60. But many older people work beyond the age of 60, many more than in other industrialized countries. A number of hypotheses are examined, having to do with pensions, health, opportunity, interest in working, cultural attitudes (including the concept of ikigai), and public policy initiatives (such as employment policy and the Silver Human Resource Centers). Japan's cultural attitudes and existing policies appear to have set Japan on a unique course in considering the aging of its population. To what extent should other nations emulate Japan?

Barriers to mental health care in Japan: Results from the World Mental Health Japan Survey.

PubMed

Kanehara, Akiko; Umeda, Maki; Kawakami, Norito

2015-09-01

The reasons for accessing and maintaining access to mental health services in Japan may be different to those in other countries. Using the World Health Organization World Mental Health Japan survey data, this study investigated the prevalence of sociodemographic correlates of barriers for the use of, reasons for delayed access to, and reasons for dropping out from mental health care in a Japanese community-based sample. An interview survey was conducted with a random sample of residents living in 11 communities across Japan during the years 2002-2006. Data from 4130 participants were analyzed. The most frequently reported reason for not seeking mental health care was a low perceived need (63.9%). The most common reason for delaying access to help was the wish to handle the problem on one's own (68.8%), while the most common reason for dropping out of care was also a low perceived need (54.2%). Being a woman and of younger age were key sociodemographic barriers to the use of mental health services. Low perceived need was a major reason for not seeking, delay in using, and dropout from mental health services in Japan. In addition, low perceived need and structural barriers were more frequently reported than attitudinal barriers, with the exception of a desire to handle the problem on one's own. These findings suggest that improving therapist-patient communication and quality of mental health care, as well as mental health literacy education in the community, might improve access to care in Japan. © 2014 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2014 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Nevada Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL Nevada Solar One This page provides information on Nevada Solar One, a configuration. Acciona Energy's Nevada Solar One is the third largest CSP plant in the world and the first plant roads. Project Overview Project Name: Nevada Solar One (NSO) Country: United States Location: Boulder

Solar Activity and Motions in the Solar Chromosphere and Corona at the 2012 and 2013 Total and Annular Eclipses in the U.S., Australia, and Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasachoff, Jay M.; Babcock, B. A.; Davis, A. B.; Demianski, M.; Lucas, R.; Lu, M.; Dantowitz, R.; Rusin, V.; Saniga, M.; Seaton, D. B.; Gaintatzis, P.; Voulgaris, A.; Seiradakis, J. H.; Gary, D. E.; Shaik, S. B.

2014-01-01

Our studies of the solar chromosphere and corona at the 2012 and 2013 eclipses shortly after cycle maximum 24 (2011/2012) of solar activity (see: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SolarCycle/) involved radio observations of the 2012 annular eclipse with the Jansky Very Large Array, optical observations of the 2012 total eclipse from Australia, optical observations of the 2013 annular eclipse from Tennant Creek, Australia, and the 3 November 2013 total solar eclipse from Gabon. Our observations are coordinated with those from solar spacecraft: Solar Dynamics Observatory AIA and HMI, Hinode XRT and SOT, SOHO LASCO and EIT, PROBA2 SWAP, and STEREO SECCHI. Our 2012 totality observations include a CME whose motion was observed with a 37-minute interval. We include first results from the expedition to Gabon for the 3 November 2013 eclipse, a summary of eclipse results from along the path of totality across Africa, and a summary of the concomitant spacecraft observations. The Williams College 2012 expeditions were supported in part by NSF grant AGS-1047726 from Solar Terrestrial Research/NSF AGS, and by the Rob Spring Fund and Science Center funds at Williams. The JVLA is supported by the NSF. The Williams College 2013 total-eclipse expedition was supported in part by grant 9327-13 from the Committee for Research and Exploration of the National Geographic Society. ML was also supported in part by a Grant-In-Aid of Research from the National Academy of Sciences, administered by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (Grant ID: G20120315159311). VR and MS acknowledge support for 2012 from projects VEGA 2/0003/13 and NGS-3139-12 of the National Geographic Society. We are grateful to K. Shiota (Japan) for kindly providing us with some of his 2012 eclipse coronal images. We thank Alec Engell (Montana State U) for assistance on site, and Terry Cuttle (Queensland Amateur Astronomers) for help with site arrangements. We thank Aram Friedman (Ansible Technologies), Michael Kentrianakis

Outdoor Education and Camping in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebashi, Shinshiro

Professor Shinshiro Ebashi of the University of Tokyo discusses outdoor education in Japan, especially in relation to legislation (e.g., the Sport Promotion Law of 1961) and programs endorsed by the Ministry of Education. A typical outdoor education program for junior-high students is given. Also discussed are the programs of the All Japan Senior…

Words of Tohkaku Wada: medical heritage in Japan

PubMed Central

Matsumoto, M.; Inoue, K.; Kajii, E.

2001-01-01

The origins of Japan's medical ideas, which are deeply rooted in its religion, culture and history, are not widely understood in medical societies of other countries. We have taken up the task of summarising this tradition here so that some insight can be gained into the unique issues that characterise the practice of medicine in Japan. We borrow from the sayings of Tohkaku Wada, a medical philosopher of late eighteenth-century Japan, for a look at Japanese medical tradition. Wada's medical thought was very much reflective of the Buddhism, Zen, and swordsmanship that informed eighteenth-century philosophy in Japan. His central concepts were "chu" and "sei", that is, complete and selfless dedication to the patient and the practice of medicine. This paper explores Wada's thought, explaining it mainly from the standpoint of Japanese traditional culture. Key Words: Tohkaku Wada • ethics • philosophy • Buddhism • Zen • Japan PMID:11233381

A prospective earthquake forecast experiment for Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoi, Sayoko; Nanjo, Kazuyoshi; Tsuruoka, Hiroshi; Hirata, Naoshi

2013-04-01

One major focus of the current Japanese earthquake prediction research program (2009-2013) is to move toward creating testable earthquake forecast models. For this purpose we started an experiment of forecasting earthquake activity in Japan under the framework of the Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP) through an international collaboration. We established the CSEP Testing Centre, an infrastructure to encourage researchers to develop testable models for Japan, and to conduct verifiable prospective tests of their model performance. On 1 November in 2009, we started the 1st earthquake forecast testing experiment for the Japan area. We use the unified JMA catalogue compiled by the Japan Meteorological Agency as authorized catalogue. The experiment consists of 12 categories, with 4 testing classes with different time spans (1 day, 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years) and 3 testing regions called All Japan, Mainland, and Kanto. A total of 91 models were submitted to CSEP-Japan, and are evaluated with the CSEP official suite of tests about forecast performance. In this presentation, we show the results of the experiment of the 3-month testing class for 5 rounds. HIST-ETAS7pa, MARFS and RI10K models corresponding to the All Japan, Mainland and Kanto regions showed the best score based on the total log-likelihood. It is also clarified that time dependency of model parameters is no effective factor to pass the CSEP consistency tests for the 3-month testing class in all regions. Especially, spatial distribution in the All Japan region was too difficult to pass consistency test due to multiple events at a bin. Number of target events for a round in the Mainland region tended to be smaller than model's expectation during all rounds, which resulted in rejections of consistency test because of overestimation. In the Kanto region, pass ratios of consistency tests in each model showed more than 80%, which was associated with good balanced forecasting of event

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Xina Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL Xina Solar One Abengoa has been selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) of South Africa to develop Xina Solar One, a 100 MW parabolic trough plant with a five-hour thermal energy with Abengoa's plant KaXu Solar One that is currently under construction in the country. Xina Solar One

2012/13 abnormal cold winter in Japan associated with Large-scale Atmospheric Circulation and Local Sea Surface Temperature over the Sea of Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Y.; Ogi, M.; Tachibana, Y.

2013-12-01

On Japan, wintertime cold wave has social, economic, psychological and political impacts because of the lack of atomic power stations in the era of post Fukushima world. The colder winter is the more electricity is needed. Wintertime weather of Japan and its prediction has come under the world spotlight. The winter of 2012/13 in Japan was abnormally cold, and such a cold winter has persisted for 3 years. Wintertime climate of Japan is governed by some dominant modes of the large-scale atmospheric circulations. Yasunaka and Hanawa (2008) demonstrated that the two dominant modes - Arctic Oscillation (AO) and Western Pacific (WP) pattern - account for about 65% of the interannual variation of the wintertime mean surface air temperature of Japan. A negative AO brings about cold winter in Japan. In addition, a negative WP also brings about cold winter in Japan. Looking back to the winter of 2012/13, both the negative AO and negative WP continued from October through December. If the previous studies were correct, it would have been extremely very cold from October through December. In fact, in December, in accordance with previous studies, it was colder than normal. Contrary to the expectation, in October and November, it was, however, warmer than normal. This discrepancy signifies that an additional hidden circumstance that heats Japan overwhelms these large-scale atmospheric circulations that cool Japan. In this study, we therefore seek an additional cause of wintertime climate of Japan particularly focusing 2012 as well as the AO and WP. We found that anomalously warm oceanic temperature surrounding Japan overwhelmed influences of the AO or WP. Unlike the inland climate, the island climate can be strongly influenced by surrounding ocean temperature, suggesting that large-scale atmospheric patterns alone do not determine the climate of islands. (a) Time series of a 5-day running mean AO index (blue) as defined by Ogi et al., (2004), who called it the SVNAM index. For

Whole-Genome Phylogenetic Analysis of Influenza B/Phuket/3073/2013-Like Viruses and Unique Reassortants Detected in Malaysia between 2012 and 2014

PubMed Central

Tan, Joon Ling; Chan, Kok Gan; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Chan, Yoke Fun; Sam, I-Ching; Tee, Kok Keng

2017-01-01

Reassortment of genetic segments between and within influenza B lineages (Victoria and Yamagata) has been shown to generate novel reassortants with unique genetic characteristics. Based on hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes, recent surveillance study has identified reassortment properties in B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus, which is currently used in the WHO-recommended influenza vaccine. To understand the potential reassortment patterns for all gene segments, four B/Phuket/3073/2013-like viruses and two unique reassortants (one each from Yamagata and Victoria) detected in Malaysia from 2012–2014 were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. Each gene was phylogenetically classified into lineages, clades and sub-clades. Three B/Phuket/3073/2013-like viruses from Yamagata lineage were found to be intra-clade reassortants, possessing PA and NA genes derived from Stockholm/12-like sub-clade, while the remaining genes from Wisconsin/01-like sub-clade (both sub-clades were within Yamagata Clade 3/Yam-3). However, the other B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus had NS gene that derived from Stockholm/12-like sub-clade instead of Wisconsin/01-like sub-clade. One inter-clade reassortant had Yamagata Clade 2/Yam-2-derived HA and NP, and its remaining genes were Yam-3-derived. Within Victoria Clade 1/Vic-1 in Victoria lineage, one virus had intra-clade reassortment properties: HA and PB2 from Vic-1B sub-clade, MP and NS from a unique sub-clade “Vic-1C”, and the remaining genes from Vic-1A sub-clade. Although random reassortment event may generate unique reassortants, detailed phylogenetic classification of gene segments showed possible genetic linkage between PA and NA genes in B/Phuket/3073/2013-like viruses, which requires further investigation. Understanding on reassortment patterns in influenza B evolution may contribute to future vaccine design. PMID:28129386

Learning by the Aged in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekiguchi, Reiko W.

This paper discusses demographic changes in Japan, the sources of pleasure of the retired Japanese senior citizen, and lifelong learning. It also describes a study that examined learning preferences of Japanese senior citizens. Data for 1983 show that life expectancy has increased in Japan to 74.20 years for males and 79.78 for females. The level…

Economic Factors of Japan’s National Security Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

34Japan bashers " have been eager to retaliate with protectionist trade legislation. Japan has been criticized by free-market strategists and frustrated...exercise served to quiet Japan- bashers and defuse protectionist sentiments in Congress. Even more important, defeat of a retaliatory bill based on general

75 FR 57980 - Polychloroprene Rubber From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-23

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. AA1921-129 (Third Review)] Polychloroprene Rubber From Japan AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Termination of five-year... of the antidumping duty finding on polychloroprene rubber from Japan would be likely to lead to...

Genetic divergence in nuclear genomes between populations of Fagus crenata along the Japan Sea and Pacific sides of Japan.

PubMed

Hiraoka, Koichi; Tomaru, Nobuhiro

2009-05-01

Genetic diversity and structure in Fagus crenata were studied by analyzing 14 nuclear microsatellite loci in 23 populations distributed throughout the species' range. Although population differentiation was very low (F (ST) = 0.027; R (ST) = 0.041), both neighbor-joining tree and Bayesian clustering analyses provided clear evidence of genetic divergence between populations along the Japan Sea (Japan Sea lineage) and Pacific (Pacific lineage) sides of Japan, indicating that physical barriers to migration and gene flow, notably the mountain ranges separating the populations along the Japan Sea and Pacific sides, have promoted genetic divergence between these populations. The two lineages of the nuclear genome are generally consistent with those of the chloroplast genome detected in a previous study, with several discrepancies between the two genomes. Within-population genetic diversity was generally very high (average H (E) = 0.839), but decreased in a clinal fashion from southwest to northeast, largely among populations of the Japan Sea lineage. This geographical gradient may have resulted from the late-glacial and postglacial recolonization to the northeast, which led to a loss of within-population genetic diversity due to cumulative founder effects.

Solar flare leaves sun quaking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-05-01

energy, and produce X-rays, microwaves and a shock wave that heats the solar surface. Kosovichev and Zharkova developed a theory that predicts the nature and magnitude of the shock waves that this beam of energetic electrons should create when they slam down into the solar atmosphere. Although their theory directed them to the right area to search for the seismic waves, the waves that they found were 10 times stronger than they had predicted. "They were so strong that you can see them in the raw data," Kosovichev says. The solar seismic waves appear to be compression waves like the "P" waves generated by an earthquake. They travel throughout the Sun's interior. In fact, the waves should recombine on the opposite side of the Sun from the location of the flare to create a faint duplicate of the original ripple pattern, Kosovichev predicts. Now that they know how to find them, the SOHO scientists say that the seismic waves generated by solar flares should allow them to verify independently some of the conditions in the solar interior that they have inferred from studying the pattern of waves that are continually ruffling the Sun's surface. SOHO is part of the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) program, a global effort to observe and understand our star and its effects on our environment. The ISTP mission includes more than 20 satellites, coupled with with ground-based observatories and modeling centers, that allow scientists to study the Sun, the Earth, and the space between them in unprecedented detail. ISTP is a joint program of NASA, ESA, Japan's Institute for Astronautical Science, and Russia's Space Research Institute. Still images of the solar quake can be found at the following internet address: FTP://PAO.GSFC.NASA.GOV/newsmedia/QUAKE/ For further information, please contact : ESA Public Relations Division Tel:+33(0)1.53.69.71.55 Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.76.90 3

JTEC panel report on machine translation in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carbonell, Jaime; Rich, Elaine; Johnson, David; Tomita, Masaru; Vasconcellos, Muriel; Wilks, Yorick

1992-01-01

The goal of this report is to provide an overview of the state of the art of machine translation (MT) in Japan and to provide a comparison between Japanese and Western technology in this area. The term 'machine translation' as used here, includes both the science and technology required for automating the translation of text from one human language to another. Machine translation is viewed in Japan as an important strategic technology that is expected to play a key role in Japan's increasing participation in the world economy. MT is seen in Japan as important both for assimilating information into Japanese as well as for disseminating Japanese information throughout the world. Most of the MT systems now available in Japan are transfer-based systems. The majority of them exploit a case-frame representation of the source text as the basis of the transfer process. There is a gradual movement toward the use of deeper semantic representations, and some groups are beginning to look at interlingua-based systems.

Healthcare in Japan: its professionals, institutions, and financing.

PubMed

Al-Assaf, A F; Payne, J

1991-01-01

Like the United States, Japan's healthcare system is a conglomerate of government, employer, and individual financing--but that's about as far as the similarity goes. Universal access to basic healthcare has been achieved in Japan through comprehensive employer/employee plans and government subsidies. However, the United States should not be too hasty in emulating Japan, for culture plays a definite role in healthcare on both sides of the Pacific.

Solar Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV | Solar Research |

Science.gov Websites

NREL Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV Solar Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV A new NREL report analyzes "solar plus," an emerging approach to distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment that uses energy storage and controllable devices to optimize

Teaching Primary School Children about Japan through Art. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Patricia Berg

There are a variety reasons for teaching about Japan. Many students in the United States are of Japanese heritage; Japan is the second largest trading partner of the United States; and some healing still needs to occur between the United States and Japan because of the damage and pain of World War II. Further, the Unites States and Japan share the…

Solar Impulse's Solar-Powered Plane

ScienceCinema

Moniz, Ernest; Piccard, Bertrand; Reicher, Dan

2018-01-16

Solar Impulse lands in Washington, DC at Washington Dulles International Airport as part of its journey across the United States. Secretary Ernest Moniz speaks about how advancements like those at the Department of Energy are leading the way for innovations like the solar-powered plane. Footage of the solar-powered plane courtesy of Solar Impulse.

Solar Impulse's Solar-Powered Plane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moniz, Ernest; Piccard, Bertrand; Reicher, Dan

Solar Impulse lands in Washington, DC at Washington Dulles International Airport as part of its journey across the United States. Secretary Ernest Moniz speaks about how advancements like those at the Department of Energy are leading the way for innovations like the solar-powered plane. Footage of the solar-powered plane courtesy of Solar Impulse.

Divorce in contemporary Japan.

PubMed

Fukurai, H; Alston, J

1990-10-01

Data from the 1985-86 Japanese census are analysed to explore the determinants of the divorce rates in Japan's forty-seven prefectures, using two theoretical models: (a) the social integration model, which is shown to have a greater utility in predicting Japanese divorce levels than (b), the human capital model. Female emigration patterns play a significant role in affecting the divorce rate. Population increase and net household income are also important predictors of the Japanese divorce rate and urbanization has a great influence in modern Japan. Demographic and aggregate variables such as migration, urbanization, and socioeconomic factors are useful when organized under a social integration model.

Proposal of a neutron transmutation doping facility for n-type spherical silicon solar cell at high-temperature engineering test reactor.

PubMed

Ho, Hai Quan; Honda, Yuki; Motoyama, Mizuki; Hamamoto, Shimpei; Ishii, Toshiaki; Ishitsuka, Etsuo

2018-05-01

The p-type spherical silicon solar cell is a candidate for future solar energy with low fabrication cost, however, its conversion efficiency is only about 10%. The conversion efficiency of a silicon solar cell can be increased by using n-type silicon semiconductor as a substrate. This study proposed a new method of neutron transmutation doping silicon (NTD-Si) for producing the n-type spherical solar cell, in which the Si-particles are irradiated directly instead of the cylinder Si-ingot as in the conventional NTD-Si. By using a 'screw', an identical resistivity could be achieved for the Si-particles without a complicated procedure as in the NTD with Si-ingot. Also, the reactivity and neutron flux swing could be kept to a minimum because of the continuous irradiation of the Si-particles. A high temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR), which is located in Japan, was used as a reference reactor in this study. Neutronic calculations showed that the HTTR has a capability to produce about 40t/EFPY of 10Ωcm resistivity Si-particles for fabrication of the n-type spherical solar cell. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Japan: International Perspectives on Business Communication Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakasako, Shun-Itsu

1998-01-01

Discusses research developments in business communication in Japan from the early 1900s to present. Describes early interest in business English; the emergence of business communication; business communication as a broad and interdisciplinary research field in Japan; and its impact on teaching. (SR)

Should Japan Become a Normal Country

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

9 B. ANCIENT JAPAN: ORIGINS AND ASUKA, NARA, AND HEIAN PERIODS...ANCIENT JAPAN: ORIGINS AND ASUKA, NARA, AND HEIAN PERIODS Japanese culture emerged on Yamato plain around the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. and continued...record of ancient matters.22 Immediately following this era was the Heian period during which the imperial court moved to a new, permanent capital

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Khi Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL Khi Solar One This page provides information on Khi Solar One, a concentrating . Status Date: February 8, 2016 Project Overview Project Name: Khi Solar One Country: South Africa Location

78 FR 7451 - Clad Steel Plate From Japan; Determination

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... Japan; Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject five-year review, the... from Japan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in... USITC Publication 4370 (January 2013), entitled Clad Steel Plate from Japan: Investigation No. 731-TA...

A solar fuels roadmap for Australia - study outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinkley, James T.; McNaughton, Robbie K.; Hayward, Jennifer A.; Lovegrove, Keith

2017-06-01

This paper summarises the key findings and recommendations of a 3.5 year study into the research, development and demonstration priorities to establish a solar fuels industry in Australia. While Australia has one of the best solar resources in the world, it also has an abundance of conventional fuels such as coal and natural gas. The country is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its primary energy supply and international trade, and is seeking pathways to reduce emissions intensity. While renewable electricity will be able to displace fossil fuels in the electricity sector, this only addresses about 16% of energy consumption by end use. Concentrating solar fuels (CSF) are produced either in full or in part from concentrated solar energy, and can provide either complete or partial reduction of the CO2 emissions associated with energy consumption. Our study reviewed the various potential solar thermal technology pathways and feedstocks available to produce a range of CSF products such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and synthetic gasoline or diesel. We conducted what we believe to be the broadest and most sophisticated evaluation of the many options to identify those that are most prospective, including an evaluation of the expected final fuel costs. The study identified the following opportunities for CSF: • Australia: substitution of imported liquid fuels (gasoline and diesel) with synthetic CSF options would provide fuel security through the utilization of domestic resources. Ammonia is also a potentially attractive CSF product as it is produced in large quantities for fertilisers and explosives. • Export markets: Australia has significant trading relationships with many Asian countries in the energy domain, and CSF fuels could provide a long term future to enable such relationships to continue - or grow - in a carbon constrained world. Japan in particular is considering how to transition to a hydrogen economy, and could be a customer for CSF hydrogen or

CAWSES Related Projects in Japan : Grant-in-Aid for Creative Scientific Research ügBasic Study of Space Weather Predictionüh and CHAIN (Continuous H Alpha Imaging Network)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibata, K.; Kurokawa, H.

The Grant-in-Aid for Creative Scientific Research of the Ministry of Education Science Sports Technology and Culture of Japan The Basic Study of Space Weather Prediction PI K Shibata Kyoto Univ has started in 2005 as 5 years projects with total budget 446Myen The purpose of this project is to develop a physical model of solar-terrestrial phenomena and space storms as a basis of space weather prediction by resolving fundamental physics of key phenomena from solar flares and coronal mass ejections to magnetospheric storms under international cooperation program CAWSES Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System Continuous H Alpha Imaging Network CHAIN Project led by H Kurokawa is a key project in this space weather study enabling continuous H alpha full Sun observations by connecting many solar telescopes in many countries through internet which provides the basis of the study of space weather prediction

Literacy in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanaya, Toshio

1979-01-01

Examines three causes for Japan's high literacy rate: (1) emphasis on literacy in Japanese society; (2) pervasive effect of the modern Japanese school system; (3) special structural features of the Japanese language which aid in functional use. (DR)

Serum uric acid levels and mortality in the Japanese population: the Yamagata (Takahata) study.

PubMed

Kamei, Keita; Konta, Tsuneo; Ichikawa, Kazunobu; Sato, Hiroko; Suzuki, Natsuko; Kabasawa, Asami; Suzuki, Kazuko; Hirayama, Atsushi; Shibata, Yoko; Watanabe, Tetsu; Kato, Takeo; Ueno, Yoshiyuki; Kayama, Takamasa; Kubota, Isao

2016-12-01

Serum uric acid level is regulated by gender, dietary habit, genetic predisposition, and renal function, and is associated with the development of renal and cardiovascular diseases. This study prospectively investigated the association between serum uric acid levels and mortality in a community-based population. Three thousand four hundred and eighty-seven subjects regardless of the antihyperuricemic medication (45 % male; mean age 62 years old) from the Takahata town in Japan participated in this study and were followed up for 8 years (median 7.5 years). We examined the association between serum uric acid levels at baseline and the all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, in this population. One hundred seventy-nine subjects died during the follow-up period, with 49 deaths attributed to cardiovascular causes. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the all-cause mortality was significantly higher along with the increase in serum uric acid levels at baseline among female (Log-rank P < 0.01), but not male subjects (P = 0.97). Cox-proportional hazard model analysis with adjustment for possible confounders including age, renal function, and comorbidities revealed that hyperuricemia (uric acid ≥7.0 mg/dL) was an independent risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, in female [hazard ratio (HR) 5.92, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 2.10-14.6 for all-cause mortality, and HR 10.7, 95 % CI 1.76-50.2 for cardiovascular mortality], but not male subjects. Hyperuricemia was an independent risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in female, but not among the male subjects in a community-based population.

78 FR 66767 - Chlorinated Isocyanurates From China and Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-06

...)] Chlorinated Isocyanurates From China and Japan Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the... reason of imports from China and Japan of chlorinated isocyanurates, provided for in subheadings 2933.69... (LTFV) from Japan and subsidized by the Government of China.\\2\\ \\1\\ The record is defined in sec. 207.2...

Endocrine disorders and diabetes in Japan.

PubMed

Seino, Y; Imura, H

1994-10-01

The frequency of glucose intolerance including diabetes and IGT in endocrine diseases was compared between Japan and foreign countries. It was revealed that the frequency of diabetes in endocrine diseases is generally higher in Japan than in foreign countries. In addition, plasma insulin response to glucose was exaggerated in Cushing's syndrome with glucose intolerance, but was impaired in acromegaly and pheochromocytoma with glucose intolerance.

People of Japan: Building Bridges of Understanding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT. Language Research Center.

This booklet was designed to facilitate interactions and communication with the people of Japan by providing information about their customs, attitudes and other cultural characteristics which influence their actions and values. A brief description of Japan is given, covering the following: history, government, the economy, education,…

Solar-A Prelaunch Mission Operation Report (MOR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The Solar-A mission is a Japanese-led program with the participation of the United States and the United Kingdom. The Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) is providing the Solar-A spacecraft, two of the four science instruments, the launch vehicle and launch support, and the principal ground station with Operational Control Center. NASA is providing a science instrument, the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT)and tracking support using the Deep Space Network (DSN) ground stations. The United Kingdom s Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) provides the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer. The Solar-A mission will study solar flares using a cluster of instruments on a satellite in a 600 km altitude, 31 degree inclination circular orbit. The emphasis of the mission is on imaging and spectroscopy of hard and soft X-rays. The principal instruments are a pair of X-ray imaging instruments, one for the hard X-ray range and one for the soft X-ray range. The Hard X-Ray Telescope (HXT), provided by ISAS, operates in the energy range of 10-100 keV and uses an array of modulation collimators to record Fourier transform images of the non-thermal and hot plasmas that are formed during the early phases of a flare. These images are thought to be intimately associated with the sites of primary energy release. The Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT), jointly provided by NASA and ISAS, operates in the wavelength range of 3-50 Angstroms and uses a grazing incidence mirror to form direct images of the lower temperature (but still very hot) plasmas that form as the solar atmosphere responds to the injection of energy. The SXT instrument is a joint development effort between the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. The U.S. effort also involves Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Hawaii, who provide support in the areas of theory, data analysis and interpretation, and ground

History of Nuclear Fusion Research in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iguchi, Harukazu; Matsuoka, Keisuke; Kimura, Kazue; Namba, Chusei; Matsuda, Shinzaburo

In the late 1950s just after the atomic energy research was opened worldwide, there was a lively discussion among scientists on the strategy of nuclear fusion research in Japan. Finally, decision was made that fusion research should be started from the basic, namely, research on plasma physics and from cultivation of human resources at universities under the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (MOE). However, an endorsement was given that construction of an experimental device for fusion research would be approved sooner or later. Studies on toroidal plasma confinement started at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) under the Science and Technology Agency (STA) in the mid-1960s. Dualistic fusion research framework in Japan was established. This structure has lasted until now. Fusion research activities over the last 50 years are described by the use of a flowchart, which is convenient to glance the historical development of fusion research in Japan.

Delays in clinical development of neurological drugs in Japan.

PubMed

Ikeda, Masayuki

2017-06-28

The delays in the approval and development of neurological drugs between Japan and other countries have been a major issue for patients with neurological diseases. The objective of this study was to analyze factors contributing to the delay in the launching of neurological drugs in Japan. We analyzed data from Japan and the US for the approval of 42 neurological drugs, all of which were approved earlier in the US than in Japan, and examined the potential factors that may cause the delay of their launch. Introductions of the 42 drugs in Japan occurred at a median of 87 months after introductions in the US. The mean review time of new drug applications for the 20 drugs introduced in Japan in January 2011 or later (15 months) was significantly shorter than that for the other 22 drugs introduced in Japan in December 2010 or earlier (24 months). The lag in the Japan's review time behind the US could not explain the approval delays. In the 31 of the 42 drugs, the application data package included overseas data. The mean review time of these 31 drugs (17 months) was significantly shorter than that of the other 11 drugs without overseas data (26 months). The mean approval lag behind the US of the 31 drugs (78 months) was also significantly shorter than that of the other 11 drugs (134 months). These results show that several important reforms in the Japanese drug development and approval system (e.g., inclusion of global clinical trial data) have reduced the delays in the clinical development of neurological drugs.

Use of the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) in Japan

PubMed Central

TAKASAKI, Hiroshi; ELKINS, Mark R.; MOSELEY, Anne M.

2016-01-01

Background: The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) may help users to overcome some obstacles to evidence-based physiotherapy. Understanding the extent to which Japanese physiotherapists access research evidence via the PEDro website may suggest strategies to enhance evidence-based physiotherapy in Japan. Objectives: To quantify usage of PEDro in Japan, to compare this to usage in other countries, and to examine variations in PEDro usage within Japan. Design: An observational study of PEDro usage with geographic analysis. Methods: Data about visits to the home-page and searches of the database were recorded for 4 years. These data were analysed by each region of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, each country in the Asia Western Pacific region, and each prefecture in Japan. Results: From 2010 to 2013, users of PEDro made 2.27 million visits to the home-page and ran 6.28 million searches. Usage (ie, number of searches normalised by population) was highest in Europe, followed by North America Carribean, South America, Asia Western Pacific, and Africa. Within the Asia Western Pacific region, population-normalised usage was highest in Australia, then New Zealand and Singapore. Japan ranked 10 among the 26 countries in the region. Within Japan, the highest population-normalised usage was in the Nagano, Kumamoto and Aomori prefectures, which was ten-fold higher usage than in some other prefectures. Conclusions: Although Japan has higher PEDro usage than many other countries in the Asia Western Pacific region, some prefectures had very low usage, suggesting that evidence-based practice may not be being adopted uniformly across Japan. PMID:28289582

Coronary Artery Calcification in Japanese Men in Japan and Hawaii

PubMed Central

Abbott, Robert D.; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Rodriguez, Beatriz L.; Kadowaki, Takashi; Masaki, Kamal H.; Willcox, Bradley J.; Sekikawa, Akira; Kuller, Lewis H.; Edmundowicz, Daniel; Shin, Chol; Kashiwagi, Atsunori; Nakamura, Yasuyuki; El-Saed, Aiman; Okamura, Tomonori; White, Roger; Curb, J. David

2013-01-01

Explanations for the low prevalence of atherosclerosis in Japan versus United States are often confounded with genetic variation. To help remove such confounding, coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, was compared between Japanese men in Japan and Japanese men in Hawaii. Findings are based on risk factor and CAC measurements that were made from 2001 to 2005 in 311 men in Japan and 300 men in Hawaii. Men were aged 40 to 50 years and without cardiovascular disease. After age-adjustment, there was a 3-fold excess in the odds of prevalent CAC scores ≥10 in Hawaii versus Japan (relative odds [RO] = 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1,4.9). While men in Hawaii had a generally poorer risk factor profile, men in Japan were 4-times more likely to smoke cigarettes (49.5 vs. 12.7%, p<0.001). In spite of marked risk factor differences between the samples, none of the risk factors provided an explanation for the low amounts of CAC in Japan. After risk factor adjustment, the RO of CAC scores ≥10 in Hawaii versus Japan was 4.0 (95% CI = 2.2,7.4). Further studies are needed to identify factors that offer protection against atherosclerosis in Japanese men in Japan. PMID:17728270

Getah Virus Infection among Racehorses, Japan, 2014

PubMed Central

Bannai, Hiroshi; Tsujimura, Koji; Kobayashi, Minoru; Kikuchi, Takuya; Yamanaka, Takashi; Kondo, Takashi

2015-01-01

An outbreak of Getah virus infection occurred among racehorses in Japan during September and October 2014. Of 49 febrile horses tested by reverse transcription PCR, 25 were positive for Getah virus. Viruses detected in 2014 were phylogenetically different from the virus isolated in Japan in 1978. PMID:25898181

Japan's Winning Margins. Management, Training, and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorriman, John; Kenjo, Takashi

This book explains the fundamental reasons for Japan's astonishing commercial success in relation to its Western competitors. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 discusses implications of Japanese history for education, training, and management. Chapter 3 looks at the first winning margin--education. It covers the following: Japan's long…

Solar energy estimated from geostationary satellites and its application on the energy management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, T. Y.; Takamatsu, T.; Funayama, T.; Yamamoto, Y.; Takenaka, H.; Nakajima, T.; Irie, H.; Higuchi, A.

2017-12-01

Recently, estimating and forecasting the solar radiation in terms of the electric power generation by photovoltaic (PV) systems is needed for the energy management system (EMS). The estimation technique depends on the latest atmospheric sciences. For instance, when one like to estimate solar radiation reached to ground surface, one will focus on the existence of clouds and their properties, because clouds exert an important influence to the radiative transfer. Visible-to-infared imaging radiometer aboard the geostationary satellites, Himawari, GOES, and Meteosat are useful for such objective, since they observe clouds for full disk of the Earth with high temporal frequency and moderately spatial resolution. Estimation of solar radiation at the ground surface from satellite imagery consists of two steps. The first step is retrieval of cloud optical and microphysical properties by use of the multispectral imaging data. Indeed, we retrieve cloud optical thickness, cloud particle sizes, and cloud top height from visible, near-infrared, and thermal infrared wavelength of the satellite imageries, respectively. The second step is the radiative transfer calculation. We will obtain solar radiation reached to the ground surface, using cloud properties retrieved from the first step, and radiative transfer calculations. We have built a system for near-real time estimation of solar radiation for global scale, named the AMATERASS system, under the support of JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency), CREST/EMS (Energy Management System). The AMATERASS dataset has been used for several researches. For example, Waseda University group applied the AMATERASS data in the electric power system, considering accidental blackout in the electric system for local scale. They made it clear that when AMATERASS data exists the chance of electric voltage deviancy is mitigated when the blackout is over. We have supported a solar car race in Australia, named World Solar Challenge (WSC) 2013

Solar astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosner, Robert; Noyes, Robert; Antiochos, Spiro K.; Canfield, Richard C.; Chupp, Edward L.; Deming, Drake; Doschek, George A.; Dulk, George A.; Foukal, Peter V.; Gilliland, Ronald L.

1991-01-01

An overview is given of modern solar physics. Topics covered include the solar interior, the solar surface, the solar atmosphere, the Large Earth-based Solar Telescope (LEST), the Orbiting Solar Laboratory, the High Energy Solar Physics mission, the Space Exploration Initiative, solar-terrestrial physics, and adaptive optics. Policy and related programmatic recommendations are given for university research and education, facilitating solar research, and integrated support for solar research.

Solar Flare Activities before Carrington event based on Low-Latitude-Aurora Survey with Historical Documents from Eastern Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, A. D.; Hayakawa, H.; Iwahashi, K.; Tamazawa, H.; Miyahara, H.; Mitsuma, Y.; Takei, M.; Fujiwara, Y.; Kataoka, R.; Isobe, H.

2016-12-01

For discussions of solar activities in terms of long time period or rare occurrence, our scientific observations of about 400-year history for sunspots and about 150-year history for flares are sometimes not sufficient simply because of the shortness on temporal scale. To complement our scientific records, historical records of aurora observations in traditional manner could be helpful. Especially, the records of low-latitude auroras as results of huge Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) hitting the Earth magnetosphere could be a good indicator of extreme solar activities beyond our scientific observation history. In this reason, we focus on Eastern Asia where magnetic latitude is relatively low and there exits a rich tradition of text-based records for thousands of years. In this presentation, we discuss the solar activities of 17th to 19th centuries when sunspot observations are available but no solar flare observation had been done yet. Our discussion is mainly based on the official history of Qīng dynasty on China, and some historical documents from Japan with sunspot numbers and western aurora observations as references. We also briefly introduce our project of aurora survey based on historical documents beyond Qīng dynasty.

Japan and the Soviet Threat: Perceptions and Reactions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

s...nce the late 1970’s. This _training cannot but help elevate the defense readiness posture of Japan and based on the scenarios being exercised , the...supersonic low flyers, can be easily jammed, and are virtually unprotected (as are Japan’s air bases ). Though work is underway to improve BADGE, it will...opposition to Japanese plans in East Asia, Japan moved to improve its position by concluding a Neutrality Pact with le. .the USSR (1941). .5 The Soviets

Childbirth in aristocratic households of Heian Japan.

PubMed

Andreeva, Anna

2014-01-01

This paper focuses on childbirth in Japan's aristocratic households during the Heian period (794-1185). Drawing on various sources, including court diaries, visual sources, literary records, and Japan's first medical collection, with its assortment of gynaecological and obstetric prescriptions, as well as Buddhist and other ritual texts, this short excursion into the cultural history of childbirth offers an insight into how childbirth was experienced and managed in Heian Japan. In particular, it addresses the variety of ideas, knowledge systems and professionals involved in framing and supporting the process of childbirth in elite households. In so doing, it casts light on the complex background of early Japanese medicine and healthcare for women.

Introductory Overview of Stone Heritages in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Hirokazu; Oikawa, Teruki; Fujita, Masayo; Yokoyama, Shunji

2013-04-01

As one contribution to 'Global Heritage Stone Resources' (GHSR), some stone heritages in Japan, which are nominated in the interim list, are briefly introduced. The geology of Japanese Islands where are the one of the most active areas in the history of the Earth, is very complicated. Therefore Japanese Islands consist of various kinds of minerals and rocks. Some of them were used to make stone implements and accessories. Japanese people also used to the best possible advantage to built tombstone, gate, pavement ,and the basement and wall of the large building such as temples, shrines, castles and modern buildings. 1. Stone Heritages of Pre-historical age: In the late Pleistocene and the early Holocene, ancient Japanese used obsidian cooled rapidly from rhyolitic magma.to make small implements and accessories. For example, Shirataki, Hokkaido (north island) is the largest place producing obsidian in Japan where Paleolithic people made arrowhead, knives and so on. Another example, Jade yielded in Itoigawa City, Japan Sea coast of central Japan, was made in the metamorphic rock about five hundred million years ago. Itoigawa area is only one place where jade is abundantly produced in Japan. Ancient people had been already collected and processed to ornaments although it is very hard and traded in wide area more than several thousand years ago. 2. Stone Heritages of Historical age: 2.1 Archaeological remains: In the Kofun (old mound) period (250 to 538 AD), stone burial chambers were used for old mounds to preserve against the putrefaction and to protect from the theft. For example, Ishibutai Kofun ("ishi" means "stone" and "butai" means "stage") in Nara old capital city, southwest Japan, is the largest known megalithic structure made of granite in Japan. 2.2 Stone walls of some typical castles Stones used is because of not only the rich reserves of rocks but also restriction of transportation. Osaka (second biggest city) castle, are composed of Cretaceous granite

The cause of larger local magnitude (Mj) in western Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamoto, H.; Furumura, T.

2017-12-01

The local magnitude of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) scale (Mj) in Japan sometimes show a significant discrepancy between Mw. The Mj is calculated using the amplitude of the horizontal component of ground displacement recorded by seismometers with the natural period of T0=5 s using Katsumata et al. (2004). A typical example of such a discrepancy in estimating Mj was an overestimation of the 2000 Western Tottori earthquake (Mj=7.3, Mw=6.7; hereafter referred to as event T). In this study, we examined the discrepancy between Mj and Mw for recent large earthquakes occurring in Japan.We found that the most earthquakes with larger Mj (>Mw) occur in western Japan while the earthquakes in northern Japan show reasonable Mj (=Mw). To understand the cause of such larger Mj for western Japan earthquakes we examined the strong motion record from the K-NET and KiK-net network for the event T and other earthquakes for reference. The observed ground displacement record from the event T shows a distinctive Love wave packet in tangential motion with a dominant period of about T=5 s which propagates long distances without showing strong dispersions. On the other hand, the ground motions from the earthquakes in northeastern Japan do not have such surface wave packet, and attenuation of ground motion is significant. Therefore, the overestimation of the Mj for earthquakes in western Japan may be attributed to efficient generation and propagation properties of Love wave probably relating to the crustal structure of western Japan. To explain this, we then conducted a numerical simulation of seismic wave propagation using 3D sedimentary layer model (JIVSM; Koketsu et al., 2012) and the source model of the event T. The result demonstrated the efficient generation of Love wave from the shallow strike-slip source which propagates long distances in western Japan without significant dispersions. On the other hand, the generation of surface wave was not so efficient when using a

Concentrating Solar Power Projects by Project Name | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Tower Plant Gujarat Solar One Gulang 100MW Thermal Oil Parabolic Trough project Guzmán Hami 50 MW CSP ¼lich Solar Tower Kathu Solar Park KaXu Solar One Khi Solar One Kimberlina Solar Thermal Power Plant Solar Plant MINOS Mojave Solar Project Morón National Solar Thermal Power Facility Nevada Solar One

Words of Tohkaku Wada: medical heritage in Japan.

PubMed

Matsumoto, M; Inoue, K; Kajii, E

2001-02-01

The origins of Japan's medical ideas, which are deeply rooted in its religion, culture and history, are not widely understood in medical societies of other countries. We have taken up the task of summarising this tradition here so that some insight can be gained into the unique issues that characterise the practice of medicine in Japan. We borrow from the sayings of Tohkaku Wada, a medical philosopher of late eighteenth-century Japan, for a look at Japanese medical tradition. Wada's medical thought was very much reflective of the Buddhism, Zen, and swordsmanship that informed eighteenth-century philosophy in Japan. His central concepts were "chu" and "sei", that is, complete and selfless dedication to the patient and the practice of medicine. This paper explores Wada's thought, explaining it mainly from the standpoint of Japanese traditional culture.

NASA Spots Typhoon Phanfone Affecting Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Over the weekend of Oct. 5 and 6, Typhoon Phanfone's center made landfall just south of Tokyo and passed over the city before exiting back into the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a picture of the typhoon as Tokyo braced for its large eye. On its way to mainland Japan, Phanfone struck Kadena Air Base on the island of Okinawa. According to the website for U.S. Air Force Kadena Air Base (www.kadena.af.mil), "One Airman is confirmed deceased and two more are missing after they were washed out to sea from the northwest coast of Okinawa at about 3:45 p.m. Oct. 5. An Airman that was found by the Japanese Coast Guard and pulled from the sea was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. HH-60s from Kadena Air Base and Japanese Coast Guard are continuing to search for the remaining two Airmen. Rough seas are complicating rescue efforts." Typhoon Phanfone's large eye made landfall near the city of Hamamatsu on Oct. 5 around 8 a.m. local time and then tracked north before turning eastward into the Pacific Ocean north of Tokyo. The MODIS instrument known as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer captures amazing pictures from its orbit aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. MODIS snapped a picture of Typhoon Phanfone approaching Japan on Oct. 5 at 12:55 a.m. EDT. At that time, the Typhoon had already passed north of Okinawa, and was just south of the large island of Kyushu. The MODIS image revealed a large eye with powerful bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center. On Oct. 6 by 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT), Phanfone had weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm back over open waters of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. Maximum sustained winds were near 60 knots (69.0 mph/111.1 kph). Phanfone was located near 38.0 north longitude and 145.0 east latitude. That's about 201 nautical miles (271 miles/372 km) south-southeast of Misawa Air Base, Japan. Phanfone was moving to the northeast at 40 knots (46 mph/74 kph). Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon

Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC): Solar Resource & Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRAMP)

DOE Data Explorer

Andreas, Afshin; Wilcox, Steve

2016-03-14

Located in Colorado, near Denver International Airport, SolarTAC is a private, member-based, 74-acre outdoor facility where the solar industry tests, validates, and demonstrates advanced solar technologies. SolarTAC was launched in 2008 by a public-private consortium, including Midwest Research Institute (MRI). As a supporting member of SolarTAC, the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NMREL) has established a high quality solar and meteorological measurement station at this location. This Solar Resource and Meteorological Assessment Project (SOLRMAP) provides high quality measurements to support deployment of power projects in the United States. The no-funds-exchanged collaboration brings NREL solar resource assessment expertise together with industry needs for measurements. The end result is high quality data sets to support the financing, design, and monitoring of large scale solar powered projects for industry in addition to research-quality data for NREL model development. NREL provides consultation for instrumentation and station deployment, along with instrument calibrations, data acquisition, quality assessment, data distribution, and summary reports. Industry participants provide equipment, infrastructure, and station maintenance.

Japan: Language Policy and Planning in Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottlieb, Nanette

2008-01-01

This monograph discusses the language situation in Japan, with an emphasis on language planning and policy. Japan has long considered itself to be a monoethnic and therefore monolingual society, despite the existence of substantial old-comer ethnic minorities, and this--with the instrumental exception of English--has been reflected in its language…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - KaXu Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL KaXu Solar One This page provides information on KaXu Solar One, a concentrating . Status Date: April 14, 2015 Project Overview Project Name: KaXu Solar One Country: South Africa Location

[Rabies contingency plan in Japan].

PubMed

Inoue, Satoshi

2005-12-01

In Japan, rabies has been culled out since 1957 thanks to the strong implementation of measures against rabies, such as vaccination of dogs, quarantine and control of wild dogs under the 'Rabies Prevention Law' enacted in 1950. Nevertheless one cannot deny the possibility of introduction of rabies into Japan in view of the recent increase in the international movements of people and animals. Should an outbreak of rabies be suspected now in Japan, the society would probably overreact due to a decreased awareness of risks and a lack of correct knowledge about this disease. Officials of the government and the municipalities, veterinarians and doctors should exchange correct information on rabies and on prevention control and raise their awareness, while providing also information to the public on a timely basis. Besides it is needless to say that it is important to set up a crisis management system allowing a quick and adequate response in case of an outbreak of rabies and to continue to implement appropriate prevention measures in normal times.

Testing the Nuclear Will of Japan

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

particularly the United States. This was significant because a soured economic relationship would undoubtedly affect the U.S.-Japan security...around the world, has sometimes soured its image as a serious international player.136 This is because many of the world’s great powers have extended...for International Exchange, 2005. Beer , Lawrence W. “Japan Turning the Corner.” Asian Survey 11, no. 1 (January 1971): 74 – 85. Bueno de Mesquita

Midscale Commercial Solar Market | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

analysis to expand the midscale solar market. The midscale market for solar photovoltaics (PV), loosely than other PV market segments in recent years. Featured Analysis Midmarket Solar Policies in the United Midscale Commercial Solar Market Midscale Commercial Solar Market NREL experts are providing

Toward freedom from cancer pain in Japan.

PubMed

Otsuka, Kuniko; Yasuhara, Hajime

2007-01-01

Life expectancy in Japan is highest in the world. Cancer is the leading cause of mortality in Japan, accounting for about 30 percent of all deaths. Many Japanese cancer patients experience severe pain although they and their families hope to be pain free at the end of their lives. Toward that end, the consumption of morphine in Japan has increased markedly since 1989. The amount of morphine hydrochloride and morphine sulfate consumed in 2001 was 6.1 times that used in Japan in 1989. However, the amount of morphine consumed in Japan is still less than in other developed nations, and was only one-sixth of the amount used in Australia in 2001. As a result, many Japanese cancer patients experience potentially manageable cancer pain, largely because the amount of the drug used by doctors is insufficient for pain control. An increasing number of Japanese doctors now understand that their patients' quality of life is most important in end-of-life care and how to use the three step analgesic ladder of the World Health Organization (WHO). However, other doctors do not understand these issues sufficiently causing some patients to die without good pain control. Both the general population and some medical professionals misunderstand and have prejudice against the use of morphine. Patients often do not participate in decision making about medical treatment because of remaining paternalism in the relationship between Japanese doctors and patients. Thus, cancer pain management in Japan is not as effective as it can be and not all Japanese cancer patients receive appropriate management for their cancer pain. To improve outcomes for Japanese patients, it is necessary for health professional and social work students and practicing professionals to receive contemporary education including an introduction to palliative care and ethics.

Regional and transported aerosols during DRAGON-Japan experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, I.; Holben, B. N.; Mukai, S.; Nakata, M.; Nakaguchi, Y.; Sugimoto, N.; Hatakeyama, S.; Nishizawa, T.; Takamura, T.; Takemura, T.; Yonemitsu, M.; Fujito, T.; Schafer, J.; Eck, T. F.; Sorokin, M.; Kenny, P.; Goto, M.; Hiraki, T.; Iguchi, N.; Kouzai, K.; KUJI, M.; Muramatsu, K.; Okada, Y.; Sadanaga, Y.; Tohno, S.; Toyazaki, Y.; Yamamoto, K.

2013-12-01

Aerosol properties over Japan have been monitored by AERONET sun / sky photometers since 2000. These measurements provides us with long term information of local aerosols, which are influenced by transported aerosols, such as Asian dusts or anthropogenic pollutants due to rapid increasing of energy consumption in Asian countries. A new aerosol monitoring experiment, Distributed Regional Aerosol Gridded Observation Networks (DRAGON) - Japan is operated in spring of 2012. The main instrument of DRAGON network is AERONET sun/sky radiometers. Some of them are sparsely set along the Japanese coast and some others make a dense network in Osaka, which is the second-largest city in Japan and famous for manufacturing town. Several 2ch NIES-LIDAR systems are also co-located with AERONET instrument to monitor Asian dusts throughout the campaign. The objects of Dragon-Japan are to characterize local aerosols as well as transported ones from the continent of China, and to acquire the detailed aerosol information for validating satellite data with high resolved spatial scale. This work presents the comprehensive results of aerosol properties with respect to regional- and/or transported- scale during DRAGON-Japan experiments.

The educational system in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearman, M. L.

1986-01-01

The rapid economic growth of Japan since World War II has resulted in Japan becoming a reference point for developing nations and the West. This remarkable growth results from a combination of factors, one of which has been unyielding attention to education in order to cultivate the human talent necessary to provide the productivity for economic growth. The Japanese education system emphasizes quality of instruction and rewards hard work. Some of the principles of the system are outlined together with a summary of the content of the curriculum, the quantity and quality of instruction, and the influence of culture and environment.

Simplified Calculation Of Solar Fluxes In Solar Receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhandari, Pradeep

1990-01-01

Simplified Calculation of Solar Flux Distribution on Side Wall of Cylindrical Cavity Solar Receivers computer program employs simple solar-flux-calculation algorithm for cylindrical-cavity-type solar receiver. Results compare favorably with those of more complicated programs. Applications include study of solar energy and transfer of heat, and space power/solar-dynamics engineering. Written in FORTRAN 77.

The UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshop Programme...

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albone, Eric; Okano, Toru

2012-01-01

The authors have been running UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshops at universities in Britain and Japan since 2001: for the past three years in England with Cambridge University and, last year, also with Kyoto University and Kyoto University of Education. For many years they have worked jointly with colleagues in a group of Super Science High…

View from... JSAP spring meeting 2007: Inside Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won, Rachel; Graydon, Oliver

2007-06-01

Photonics research in Japan is thriving and there is no better place to hear the latest news firsthand than the meetings of the Japan Society of Applied Physics. Nature Photonics decided to pay the 54th Spring Meeting a visit.

76 FR 8774 - Granular Polytetrafluoroethylene Resin From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-15

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-386 (Third Review)] Granular Polytetrafluoroethylene Resin From Japan AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Termination of five... revocation of the antidumping duty order on granular polytetrafluoroethylene resin from Japan would be likely...

U.S. hardwood exports, hardwood exports to Japan, hardwood resource situation, and the future of U.S. exports to Japan

Treesearch

Philip A. Araman

1989-01-01

This paper looks at some basic information about total U.S. hardwood exports and products as well as hardwood exports to Japan. It also discusses the U.S. hardwood resource situation and how we can best use the resource base to suppy Japanâs needs.

A brief history of the Japan Society for Cell Biology.

PubMed

Tashiro, Y; Okigaki, T

2001-02-01

The Japan Society for Cell Biology (JSCB) was first founded in 1950 as the Japan Society for Cellular Chemistry under the vigorous leadership of Seizo Katsunuma, in collaboration with Shigeyasu Amano and Satimaru Seno. The Society was provisionally named as above simply because cell biology had not yet been coined at that time in Japan, although in prospect and reality the Society was in fact for the purpose of pursuing cell biology. Later in 1964, the Society was properly renamed as the Japan Society for Cell Biology. After this renaming, the JSCB made great efforts to adapt itself to the rapid progress being made in cell biology. For this purpose the Society's constitution was created in 1966 and revised in 1969. According to the revised constitution, the President, Executive Committee and Councils were to be determined by ballot vote. The style of the annual meetings was gradually modified to incorporate general oral and poster presentations in addition to Symposia (1969-1974). The publication of annual periodicals in Japanese called Symposia of the Japan Society for Cellular Chemistry (1951-1967) and later Symposia of the Japan Society for Cell Biology (1968-1974) was replaced by a new international journal called Cell Structure and Function initiated in 1975. This reformation made it possible for the Society to participate in the Science Council of Japan in 1975 and finally in 1993 to acquire its own study section of Cell Biology with grants-in-aid from the Ministry of Education and Science, Japan. The JSCB hosted the 3rd International Congress on Cell Biology (ICCB) in 1984 and the 3rd Asian-Pacific Organization for Cell Biology (APOCB) Congress in 1998, thus contributing to the international advancement of cell biology. Now the membership of JSCB stands at approximately 1,800 and the number of presentations per meeting is 300 to 400 annually. Although a good number of interesting and important findings in cell biology have been reported from Japan, the

The solar wind - Moon interaction discovered by MAP-PACE on KAGUYA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Y.; Yokota, S.; Tanaka, T.; Asamura, K.; Nishino, M. N.; Yamamoto, T.; Tsunakawa, H.; Shibuya, H.; Shimizu, H.; Takahashi, F.

2009-12-01

Magnetic field And Plasma experiment - Plasma energy Angle and Composition Experiment (MAP-PACE) on KAGUYA (SELENE) completed its ˜1.5-year observation of the low energy charged particles around the Moon. SELENE was successfully launched on 14 September 2007 by H2A launch vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. SELENE was inserted into a circular lunar polar orbit of 100km altitude and continued observation for nearly 1.5 years till it impacted the Moon on 10 June 2009. During the last 5 months, the orbit was lowered to ˜50km-altitude between January 2009 and April 2009, and some orbits had further lower perilune altitude of ˜10km after April 2009. The newly observed data showed characteristic ion distributions around the Moon. Besides the solar wind, one of the MAP-PACE sensors MAP-PACE-IMA (Ion Mass Analyzer) discovered four clearly distinguishable ion distributions on the dayside of the Moon: 1) Solar wind ions backscattered at the lunar surface, 2) Solar wind ions reflected by magnetic anomalies on the lunar surface, 3) Ions that are originating from the reflected / backscattered solar wind ions and are pick-up accelerated by the solar wind convection electric field, and 4) Ions originating from the lunar surface / lunar atmosphere. One of the most important discoveries of the ion mass spectrometer (MAP-PACE-IMA) is the first in-situ measurements of the alkali ions originating from the Moon surface / atmosphere. The ions generated on the lunar surface by solar wind sputtering, solar photon stimulated desorption, or micro-meteorite vaporization are accelerated by the solar wind convection electric field and detected by IMA. The mass profiles of these ions show ions including He+, C+, O+, Na+, and K+/Ar+. The heavy ions were also observed when the Moon was in the Earth’s magnetotail where no solar wind ions impinged on the lunar surface. This discovery strongly restricts the possible generation mechanisms of the ionized alkali atmosphere around the

Using Parse's humanbecoming theory in Japan.

PubMed

Tanaka, Junko; Katsuno, Towako; Takahashi, Teruko

2012-01-01

In this paper the authors discuss the use of Parse's humanbecoming theory in Japan. Elements of the theory are used in the nursing approach to an 88 year-old Japanese man who had complications following surgery. Process recordings of the dialogues between the patient, the patient's wife, and the nurse were made and considered in light of the three methodologies of Parse's theory; illuminating meaning, synchronizing rhythms, and mobilizing transcendence. The theory is seen as useful in Japan.

Country Profiles. Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muramatsu, Minoru

This occasional paper on Japan is one of a series setting forth the nature, scope, and accomplishments of population activities in specified countries. Here, an overview is given of population characteristics and growth patterns, the relationship of population growth to socioeconomic development, and the history of population concerns and…

What is nuclear power in Japan?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Toshikazu

2011-03-01

The aggressive use of such non-fossil energy as the atomic energy with high power density and energy production efficiency is an indispensable choice aiming at the low-carbon society. There is a trial calculation that the carbon dioxide emission of 40000 ton can be suppressed by nuclear power generation by one ton of uranium. The basis of nuclear research after the Second World War in Japan was established by the researchers learnt in Argonne National Laboratory. In 2010, NPPs under operation are 54 units and the total electric generating power is 48.85GW. The amount of nuclear power generation per person of the people is 0.38kW in Japan, and it is near 0.34kW of the United States. However, the TMI accident and the Chernobyl disaster should have greatly stagnated the nuclear industry of Japan although it is not more serious than the United States. A lot of Japanese unconsciously associate a nuclear accident with the atomic bomb. According to the investigation which Science and Technology Agency carried out to the specialist in 1999, ``What will be the field where talent should be emphatically sent in the future?'' the rank of nuclear technology was the lowest in 32 fields. The influence of the nuclear industry stagnation was remarkable in the education. The subject related to the atomic energy of a university existed 19 in 1985 that was the previous year of the Chernobyl disaster decreased to 7 in 2003. In such a situation, we have to rely on the atomic energy because Japan depends for 96% of energy resources on import. The development of the fuel reprocessing and the fast breeder reactor has been continued in spite of a heavy failure. That is the only means left behind for Japan to be released from both fossil fuel and carbon dioxide.

76 FR 8773 - Superalloy Degassed Chromium From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-15

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-1090 (Review)] Superalloy Degassed Chromium From Japan AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Termination of five-year... revocation of the antidumping duty order on superalloy degassed chromium from Japan would be likely to lead...

Concentrated solar power generation using solar receivers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Bruce N.; Treece, William Dean; Brown, Dan

Inventive concentrated solar power systems using solar receivers, and related devices and methods, are generally described. Low pressure solar receivers are provided that function to convert solar radiation energy to thermal energy of a working fluid, e.g., a working fluid of a power generation or thermal storage system. In some embodiments, low pressure solar receivers are provided herein that are useful in conjunction with gas turbine based power generation systems.

Solar Energy: Solar System Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Henry H., III

This module on solar system economics is one of six in a series intended for use as supplements to currently available materials on solar energy and energy conservation. Together with the recommended texts and references (sources are identified), these modules provide an effective introduction to energy conservation and solar energy technologies.…

Neuropsychology in Japan: history, current challenges, and future prospects.

PubMed

Sakamoto, Maiko

2016-11-01

The purpose of this special issue was to describe the cross-cultural differences in neuropsychology throughout the world. The current state of neuropsychology in Japan is discussed in this manuscript. Information on six topics, including (1) the history of Japanese neuropsychology, (2) licensure system, (3) job opportunities, (4) neuropsychological clinical services, (5) neuropsychological tests, and (6) neuropsychological research, was gathered via literature searches, official organization websites, and personal communication with clinical psychologists and other professionals in Japan. Neuropsychology reached Japan from the west in the late 1800s, a period of rapid political and social modernization. Professional associations were founded in the 1960s and 1970s and continued to grow. The need for neuropsychological assessment in Japan is growing; however, credential requirements for neuropsychologists have not yet been established. To practice clinical psychology in Japan, one must obtain a Master's degree and pass a licensure examination that is administered by a private professional foundation. Clinical psychologists often conduct neuropsychological tests; however, they have little training in neuropsychological assessment. While many western neuropsychological tests have been translated into Japanese and are used in clinical settings, the majority of translated tests have not been standardized and their psychometric properties remain poorly understood. Standardization and development of normative data in Japan is warranted. Given that needs for neuropsychological services are increasing, it is essential for clinical psychologists in Japan to improve their skills in neuropsychological evaluations. Japanese graduate schools must work to establish neuropsychology programs to educate and train clinical neuropsychologists.

VIII Workshop on Catastrophic Disruption in the Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Patrick; Nakamura, Akiko M.; Bagatin, Adriano Campo

2015-03-01

The Catastrophic Disruption (CD) Workshops have become a tradition for the various communities interested in collisional processes. The first one was organized in 1985 by the missed Prof. Paolo Farinella from the University of Pisa and his colleague Paolo Paolicchi, who understood the fundamental importance of collisional processes in the history of the Solar System. It was followed by subsequent workshops in Belgrade (Serbia, 1987), Kyoto (Japan, 1990), Gubbio (Italy, 1993), the Timberline Lodge (Oregon, USA, 1998), Cannes (France, 2003) and Alicante (Spain, 2007). The CD workshops are typically separated by 3-6 years, accounting for the required amount of time to perform subsequent advances in the field motivating the interest of the relevant scientific community for getting together to discuss new results and evolving directions in the field.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects in India | Concentrating Solar Power |

Science.gov Websites

;alphabetical by project name. You can browse a project profile by clicking on the project name. Abhijeet Solar Project ACME Solar Tower Dadri ISCC Plant Dhursar Diwakar Godawari Solar Project Gujarat Solar One KVK Energy Solar Project Megha Solar Plant National Solar Thermal Power Facility

Computerizing medical records in Japan.

PubMed

Yasunaga, Hideo; Imamura, Tomoaki; Yamaki, Shintaro; Endo, Hiroyoshi

2008-10-01

The present study reports the current status of computerizing medical records in Japan. In 2001, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare formulated the Grand Design for the Development of Information Systems in the Healthcare and Medical Fields. The Grand Design stated a numerical target for "spreading the use of electronic medical records (EMR) in at least 60% of Japan's hospitals with 400 or more beds by 2006." The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which EMR and order entry systems (OES) have been adopted as of February 2007 and to evaluate the Japanese government's policy regarding the computerization of medical records. We conducted a postal survey targeting medical institutions throughout Japan. In February 2007, we mailed self-administered questionnaires to all 1574 hospitals with 300 or more beds, and to a random selection of 1000 hospitals with less than 300 beds in addition to 4000 clinics. Responses were received from 812 (51.6%), 504 (50.5%), and 1769 (44.8%), respectively. We asked questions concerning: (i) the extent to which EMR and OES had been introduced; (ii) the reasons why certain institutions had not introduced EMR and (iii) the subjective evaluation of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of EMR. The percentage of institutions that had introduced EMR as of February 2007 was 10.0% for hospitals and 10.1% for clinics. Even the percentage for hospitals with 400 or more beds was just 31.2%, illustrating that the government's target had not been reached. The most common reason given for not introducing EMR was: "The cost is high" which was observed in 82.0% of hospitals. It was considered that the introduction of EMR could improve 'inter-hospital networks', and 'time efficiency for physicians' by around 45% and 25% of hospitals, respectively. Healthcare information computerization in Japan is behind schedule because the introductory costs are high. For the computerization of healthcare information to be further promoted, prices

JTEC panel report on advanced composites in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diefendorf, R. J.; Grisaffe, S. J.; Hillig, W. B.; Perepezko, J. H.; Pipes, R. B.; Sheehan, J. E.

1991-01-01

The JTEC Panel on Advanced Composites visited Japan and surveyed the status and future directions of Japanese high performance ceramic and carbon fibers and their composites in metal, intermetallic, ceramic and carbon matrices. The panel's interests included not only what composite systems were chosen, but also how these systems were developed. A strong carbon and fiber industry makes Japan the leader in carbon fiber technology. Japan has initiated an oxidation resistant carbon/carbon composite program. The goals for this program are ambitious, and it is just starting, but its progress should be closely monitored in the United States.

Frontiers Of Education: Japan As ``Global Model'' Or ``Nation At Risk''?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willis, David Blake; Yamamura, Satoshi; Rappleye, Jeremy

2008-07-01

The Japanese educational system is undergoing extensive change, affecting all stages from pre-school programmes to higher education. As Japan has moved from a nation at the top to "A Nation at Risk," certain dichotomies have been highlighted. Viewing Japan as either educational super-power or educational tragedy, depending on the era of research or background of the researchers, has been especially provocative for educators and policy-makers. At the same time, the controversies in America surrounding the report A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education) are well known, a major impetus for the report of course being Japan. Central to the question of whether Japan is best understood as a Global Model or A Nation at Risk are themes of cross-national attraction and educational transfer. What can the world learn from Japan? What does Japan need to learn from the world? The answers to these questions have particular significance for Japanese higher education, which we take up as a case study here, with its urgent task to innovate in the face of a steep demographic downward trend. For those in Japan who feel that Japanese education is in a dismal state, what are the origins of this serious decline? For observers in other national contexts who envisage Japan as a model, how do the calls to ‹learn from Japan' reflect genuine attempts to improve practice at home? Or are they simply rhetorical tools in support of domestic political projects?

Solar Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The solar collectors shown are elements of domestic solar hot water systems produced by Solar One Ltd., Virginia Beach, Virginia. Design of these systems benefited from technical expertise provided Solar One by NASA's Langley Research Center. The company obtained a NASA technical support package describing the d e sign and operation of solar heating equipment in NASA's Tech House, a demonstration project in which aerospace and commercial building technology are combined in an energy- efficient home. Solar One received further assistance through personal contact with Langley solar experts. The company reports that the technical information provided by NASA influenced Solar One's panel design, its selection of a long-life panel coating which increases solar collection efficiency, and the method adopted for protecting solar collectors from freezing conditions.

Effects of market liberalisation on smoking in Japan

PubMed Central

Honjo, K.; Kawachi, I.

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To document the effect of the liberalisation of the Japanese tobacco market on Japanese smoking rates and on Japanese tobacco industry practices.
DATA SOURCE—Asahi Shimbun (major daily newspaper) from 1980 to 1996.
STUDY SELECTION—Review of media coverage on the effects of market liberalisation following the imposition of the USA's section 301 trade sanction.
DATA SYNTHESIS—The opening of Japan's tobacco market to foreign cigarette companies stalled a decline in smoking prevalence. Smoking rates among young women increased significantly, and also appear to be on the rise among adolescents. Aggressive marketing and promotional activities by US and Japanese tobacco companies in response to trade liberalisation appear responsible for these adverse trends. Steep increases in sales through vending machines were also possible contributors to the rising smoking prevalence among adolescents. On the positive side, market liberalisation indirectly promoted smoking control efforts in Japan, by causing an anti-smoking movement to coalesce.
CONCLUSION—Market liberalisation in Japan played a significant role in increasing smoking prevalence among young women and adolescents while helping to transform the issue of smoking in Japan from a matter of individual choice to a public health problem.


Keywords: Japan; market liberalisation PMID:10841856

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Jemalong Solar Thermal Station |

Science.gov Websites

Concentrating Solar Power | NREL Jemalong Solar Thermal Station This page provides information on Jemalong Solar Thermal Station, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by Project Name: Jemalong Solar Thermal Station Country: Australia Location: Jemalong (New South Wales) Owner

U.S.-Japan Seminar on Dielectric and Piezoelectric Ceramics Held in Kyoto, Japan on 11-14 December 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

Hydrothermal Electrochemical Method" Y. Sakabe, Y. Hamaji, M. Hayashi . Y. Ogino, N. Ishizawa* and M. Yoshimura* (Murata Mfg. Co., Ltd., *Research Laboratory of...Koya Hayashi Research and Development Division Research and Development Sakai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. Shoei Chemical Inc. 5-1 Ebisujima, Sakai...Shinagawa 14-18 Takatsuji-cho, Mizuho-ku Tokyo 141, Japan Nagoya 467-91, Japan Akira Nagai Tomeji Ohno Odawara Research Center TOKIN Corporation

Cancer incidence and incidence rates in Japan in 2008: a study of 25 population-based cancer registries for the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan (MCIJ) project.

PubMed

Matsuda, Ayako; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Shibata, Akiko; Katanoda, Kota; Sobue, Tomotaka; Nishimoto, Hiroshi

2014-04-01

The Japan Cancer Surveillance Research Group aimed to estimate the cancer incidence in Japan in 2008 based on data collected from 25 of 34 population-based cancer registries, as part of the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan project. The incidence in Japan for 2008 was estimated to be 749 767 (C00-C96). Stomach cancer and breast cancer were the leading types of cancer in males and females, respectively.

Solar Newsletter | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

, General Electric Optimize Voltage Control for Utility-Scale PV As utilities increasingly add solar power components that may be used to integrate distributed solar PV onto distribution systems. More than 335 data Innovation Award for Grid Reliability PV Demonstration First Solar, the California Independent System

Solar electricity and solar fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiers, David J.

1989-04-01

The nature of solar radiation and its variation with location is described. The distribution of energy in the solar spectrum places immediate limits on the theoretical efficiency of conversion processes, since practical absorbers cannot convert all wavelengths received to useful energy. The principles of solar energy conversion methods are described. Absorption of solar energy can give rise to direct electrical generation, heating, or chemical change. Electrical generation from sunlight can be achieved by photovoltaic systems directly or by thermal systems which use solar heat to drive a heat engine and generator. The technology used and under research for promising ways of producing electricity or fuel from solar energy is described. Photovoltaic technology is established today for remote area, small power applications, and photovoltaic module sales alone are over 100 million dollars per year at present. The photovoltaic market has grown steadily since the mid-1970's, as prices have fallen continuously. Future energy options are briefly described. The merits of a sustainable energy economy, based on renewable energy resources, including solar energy, are emphasized, as this seems to provide the only hope of eliminating the problems caused by the build-up of atmospheric carbon dioxide, acid rain pollution and nuclear waste disposal. There is no doubt that clean fuels which were derived from solar energy and either did not involve carbon dioxide and used atmospheric carbon dioxide as the source dioxide as the source of carbon would be a worthy ideal. Methods described could one day achieve this.

Insights into software development in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duvall, Lorraine M.

1992-01-01

The interdependence of the U.S.-Japanese economies makes it imperative that we in the United States understand how business and technology developments take place in Japan. We can gain insight into these developments in software engineering by studying the context in which Japanese software is developed, the practices that are used, the problems encountered, the setting surrounding these problems, and the resolution of these problems. Context includes the technological and sociological characteristics of the software development environment, the software processes applied, personnel involved in the development process, and the corporate and social culture surrounding the development. Presented in this paper is a summary of results of a study that addresses these issues. Data for this study was collected during a three month visit to Japan where the author interviewed 20 software managers representing nine companies involved in developing software in Japan. These data are compared to similar data from the United States in which 12 managers from five companies were interviewed.

[Establishment of anatomical terminology in Japan].

PubMed

Shimada, Kazuyuki

2008-12-01

The history of anatomical terminology in Japan began with the publication of Waran Naikei Ihan-teimŏ in 1805 and Chŏtei Kaitai Shinsho in 1826. Although the establishment of Japanese anatomical terminology became necessary during the Meiji era when many western anatomy books imported into Janan were translated, such terminology was not unified during this period and varied among translators. In 1871, Tsukumo Ono's Kaibŏgaku Gosen was published by the Ministry of Education. Although this book is considered to be the first anatomical glossary terms in Japan, its contents were incomplete. Overseas, the German Anatomical Society established a unified anatomical terminology in 1895 called the Basle Nomina Anatomica (B.N.A.). Based on this development, Kaibŏgaku Meishŭ which follows the BNA, by Buntarŏ Suzuki was published in 1905. With the subsequent establishment in 1935 of Jena Nomina Anatomica (J.N.A.), the unification of anatomical terminology was also accelerated in Japan, leading to the further development of terminology.

Solar Training Network and Solar Ready Vets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dalstrom, Tenley Ann

2016-09-14

In 2016, the White House announced the Solar Ready Vets program, funded under DOE's SunShot initiative would be administered by The Solar Foundation to connect transitioning military personnel to solar training and employment as they separate from service. This presentation is geared to informing and recruiting employer partners for the Solar Ready Vets program, and the Solar Training Network. It describes the programs, and the benefits to employers that choose to connect to the programs.

The Issue of Diversity and Multiculturalism in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qi, Jie; Zhang, Sheng Ping

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to problematize that which has been taken for granted about the notion of multiculturalism in Japan. Multiculturalism is a "hot" issue in Japan. As the Japanese government started to promote "internationalization" since 1980s, slogans such as "international exchange," "cultural…

"I'm Not Going to Be in Japan Forever": How Filipina Immigrant Youth in Japan Construct the Meaning of Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tokunaga, Tomoko

2011-01-01

This article, based on an ethnographic study of five Filipino-born daughters of Filipina migrant workers in Japan, discusses how these young women construct understandings of home as they navigate the borderlands between the Philippines, Japan and the US. The study reveals the ways in which these young women negotiate the possibilities and…

Japan Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

Japan is the world's largest liquefied natural gas importer and ranks in the top four countries for the highest coal imports, net imports of petroleum and other liquids, and consumption of crude oil and petroleum products.

Teaching Unit: Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Dina

The cultural diversity of Japan can provide a rewarding learning experience for children of all grade levels. This teaching unit includes resources and ideas for the study of Japanese society, art, folklore, and poetry. Included among the instructional objectives are: (1) children will compare U.S. lifestyles with Japanese lifestyles by reading…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Godawari Solar Project | Concentrating

Science.gov Websites

Solar Power | NREL Godawari Solar Project This page provides information on Godawari Solar Project, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by background, participants, and power plant configuration. Status Date: February 13, 2014 Project Overview Project Name: Godawari Solar

De novo malignancy after pancreas transplantation in Japan.

PubMed

Tomimaru, Y; Ito, T; Marubashi, S; Kawamoto, K; Tomokuni, A; Asaoka, T; Wada, H; Eguchi, H; Mori, M; Doki, Y; Nagano, H

2015-04-01

Long-term immunosuppression is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Especially, the immunosuppression in pancreas transplantation is more intensive than that in other organ transplantation because of its strong immunogenicity. Therefore, it suggests that the risk of post-transplant de novo malignancy might increase in pancreas transplantation. However, there have been few studies of de novo malignancy after pancreas transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of de novo malignancy after pancreas transplantation in Japan. Post-transplant patients with de novo malignancy were surveyed and characterized in Japan. Among 107 cases receiving pancreas transplantation in Japan between 2001 and 2010, de novo malignancy developed in 9 cases (8.4%): post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders in 6 cases, colon cancer in 1 case, renal cancer in 1 case, and brain tumor in 1 case. We clarified the incidence of de novo malignancy after pancreas transplantation in Japan. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar Power System Design for the Solar Probe+ Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Schmitz, Paul C.; Kinnison, James; Fraeman, Martin; Roufberg, Lew; Vernon, Steve; Wirzburger, Melissa

2008-01-01

Solar Probe+ is an ambitious mission proposed to the solar corona, designed to make a perihelion approach of 9 solar radii from the surface of the sun. The high temperature, high solar flux environment makes this mission a significant challenge for power system design. This paper summarizes the power system conceptual design for the solar probe mission. Power supplies considered included nuclear, solar thermoelectric generation, solar dynamic generation using Stirling engines, and solar photovoltaic generation. The solar probe mission ranges from a starting distance from the sun of 1 AU, to a minimum distance of about 9.5 solar radii, or 0.044 AU, from the center of the sun. During the mission, the solar intensity ranges from one to about 510 times AM0. This requires power systems that can operate over nearly three orders of magnitude of incident intensity.

Rickettsioses in Japan and the far East.

PubMed

Mahara, Fumihiko

2006-10-01

Three rickettsial diseases are known to exist in Japan currently: Japanese spotted fever (JSF), Tsutsugamushi disease (TD; scrub typhus), and Q fever. Since April 1999, the system for infection control and prevention in Japan has changed drastically. JSF, Q fever, and TD, as emerging infectious diseases, are designated as national notifiable diseases.The geographic distribution of JSF patients is along the coast of central and southwestern Japan, whereas TD and Q fever occur almost all over the country. The number of JSF patients reported was 216 cases during 1984-1998 and 268 cases, under the revised law, in 1999-2004. About 300-1000 cases of TD occur every year, and 7-46 cases of Q fever in 1999-2004. The number of cases of JSF and its endemic area are gradually increasing. There was only one fatality due to JSF until 2003, whereas two patients died of JSF in 2004, so JSF is still a life-threatening disease in Japan. Treatment of fulminant JSF consists of prompt administration of a combination of tetracycline and quinolone. Recent tick surveys revealed that the most probable vectors of JSF are Haemophysalis flava and Haemophysalis hystericis. In addition to R. japonica, two serotypes or species of spotted fever group rickettsiae have been isolated from ticks in Japan; one is closely related to R. helvetica and the other is a new genotype of unknown genotype AT, which is closely related to a Slovakian genotype. These serotypes are of uncertain clinical significance. Epidemiology of rickettsioses in the Far East is mentioned briefly.

Toward a tobacco-free society in Japan.

PubMed

Tokunaga, H

2001-08-01

Tobacco is one of the major preventable causes of death and disability. This is widely known in both Japan and the USA, and although the smoking rate in the USA is decreasing, that in Japan remains high. The tobacco histories of these two countries, which provide the background to this difference, are herein compared. The antismoking movement is becoming more vociferous in both countries. Publicity regarding of the dangers of smoking, warning signs on tobacco packages, the introduction of antismoking devices, a ban on commercials for tobacco-related products on TV and the radio, no-smoking seats on airplanes, and litigation against the tobacco industry have all been introduced. However, major differences remain between these two countries. The tobacco industry in the USA has been a private company since it was first established. Courts have ordered the tobacco industry to pay compensation for damage to health resulting from tobacco. Smoking is strictly restricted inside buildings. Advertisements for nicotine gum and nicotine patches and reports on the dangers of smoking are regularly broadcast. In the case of Japan, the government at first nationalized the tobacco industry, and then made it a private company, although the government still holds two-thirds of its stock. Moreover, it established the Tobacco Business Law to support the company. The main purpose of antismoking campaigns in Japan is a partial ban on smoking. On the basis of these differences between the two countries regarding the history of tobacco, the antismoking movement in Japan has yet to choose which path to take.

Q fever in Japan: an update review.

PubMed

Porter, Sarah Rebecca; Czaplicki, Guy; Mainil, Jacques; Horii, Yoichiro; Misawa, Naoaki; Saegerman, Claude

2011-05-05

As neglected zoonosis for many years, Q fever is now ubiquitous in Japan. Similarly to elsewhere in the world, domestic animals are considered to be important reservoirs of the causal agent, Coxiella burnetii, a resistant intracellular bacterium. Infected animals shed bacteria in milk, feces, urine, vaginal mucous and birth products. Inhalation of bacteria present in the environment is the main route of animal and human infection. Shedding of C. burnetii in milk by domestic ruminants has a very limited impact as raw milk is seldom ingested by the Japanese population. The clinical expression of Q fever in Japan is similar to its clinical expression elsewhere. However clinical cases in children are more frequently reported in this country. Moreover, C. burnetii is specified as one of the causative organisms of atypical pneumonia in the Japanese Respiratory Society Guideline for the management of community-acquired pneumonia. In Japan, C. burnetii isolates are associated with acute illness and are mainly of moderate to low virulence. Cats are considered a significant source of C. burnetii responsible for human outbreaks in association with the presence of infected parturient cats. Since its recognition as a reportable disease in 1999, 7-46 clinical cases of Q fever have been reported by year. The epidemiology of Q fever in Japan remains to be elucidated and the exact modes of transmission are still unproven. Important further research is necessary to improve knowledge of the disease itself, the endogenous hosts and reservoirs, and the epidemiological cycle of coxiellosis in Japan. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distant Mt. Fuji, Island of Honshu Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-11-01

This distant view of Mt. Fuji, on the main home island of Honshu, Japan (34.0N, 139.0E) was taken from about 450 miles to the south. Evan at that great distance, the majestic and inspiring Mt. Fuji is still plainly visible and easily recognized as a world renowned symbol of Japan. The snow capped extinct volcano lies just a few miles south of Tokyo.

The 3-D solar radioastronomy and the structure of the corona and the solar wind. [solar probes of solar activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, J. L.; Caroubalos, C.

1976-01-01

The mechanism causing solar radio bursts (1 and 111) is examined. It is proposed that a nonthermal energy source is responsible for the bursts; nonthermal energy is converted into electromagnetic energy. The advantages are examined for an out-of-the-ecliptic solar probe mission, which is proposed as a means of stereoscopically viewing solar radio bursts, solar magnetic fields, coronal structure, and the solar wind.

[C.P. Thunberg and his voyage to Japan (4). Mercury water therapy for syphilis introduced into Japan by Thunberg].

PubMed

Takahashi, F

1994-01-01

During his 16-month stay in Japan from August 1775 to December 1776, Thunberg taught mercury water therapy to Japanese medical doctors and interpreters in order to help them treat syphilis, which was prevalent in Japan at that time. Kohgyu Yoshio, a Japanese-Dutch interpreter who was taught this therapy by Thunberg, recorded Thunberg's teaching in his "Kohmoh Hijiki." According to this book, the mercury water therapy that Thunberg introduced to Japan had been tested successfully by van Swieten, a Dutch doctor, about 20 years previously in Europe and used corrosive sublimate (mercuric chloride), the active ingredient, dissolved in distilled water with honey. The formula is described, in measurement units used in Europe at that time, in a letter addressed by van Swieten to a doctor in Rotterdam in 1755. The formula recorded in "Kohmoh Hijiki" in measurement units used in Japan at that time gives a content of the active ingredient equivalent to that mentioned in van Swieten's letter. This fact indicates that van Swieten's formula introduced by Thunberg was correctly accepted by Japanese doctors and interpreters, who had acquired basic medical knowledge since the publication of "Kaitai Shinsho" in 1774.

Collecting Solar Energy. Solar Energy Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Alexander

This solar energy learning module for use with junior high school students offers a list of activities, a pre-post test, job titles, basic solar energy vocabulary, and diagrams of solar energy collectors and installations. The purpose is to familiarize students with applications of solar energy and titles of jobs where this knowledge could be…

Space communications in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, T.

This paper outlines some of the planned satellite comunication projects in Japan over the next 5-7 years. In addition, Japanese space development policies are set out along with a historic review of the development of artificial satellites.

2016 Guidelines for the management of thyroid storm from The Japan Thyroid Association and Japan Endocrine Society (First edition).

PubMed

Satoh, Tetsurou; Isozaki, Osamu; Suzuki, Atsushi; Wakino, Shu; Iburi, Tadao; Tsuboi, Kumiko; Kanamoto, Naotetsu; Otani, Hajime; Furukawa, Yasushi; Teramukai, Satoshi; Akamizu, Takashi

2016-12-30

Thyroid storm is an endocrine emergency which is characterized by multiple organ failure due to severe thyrotoxicosis, often associated with triggering illnesses. Early suspicion, prompt diagnosis and intensive treatment will improve survival in thyroid storm patients. Because of its rarity and high mortality, prospective intervention studies for the treatment of thyroid storm are difficult to carry out. We, the Japan Thyroid Association and Japan Endocrine Society taskforce committee, previously developed new diagnostic criteria and conducted nationwide surveys for thyroid storm in Japan. Detailed analyses of clinical data from 356 patients revealed that the mortality in Japan was still high (∼11%) and that multiple organ failure and acute heart failure were common causes of death. In addition, multimodal treatment with antithyroid drugs, inorganic iodide, corticosteroids and beta-adrenergic antagonists has been suggested to improve mortality of these patients. Based on the evidence obtained by nationwide surveys and additional literature searches, we herein established clinical guidelines for the management of thyroid storm. The present guideline includes 15 recommendations for the treatment of thyrotoxicosis and organ failure in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and hepato-gastrointestinal tract, admission criteria for the intensive care unit, and prognostic evaluation. We also proposed preventive approaches to thyroid storm, roles of definitive therapy, and future prospective trial plans for the treatment of thyroid storm. We hope that this guideline will be useful for many physicians all over the world as well as in Japan in the management of thyroid storm and the improvement of its outcome.

Solar Activity and Solar Eruptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterling, Alphonse C.

2006-01-01

Our Sun is a dynamic, ever-changing star. In general, its atmosphere displays major variation on an 11-year cycle. Throughout the cycle, the atmosphere occasionally exhibits large, sudden outbursts of energy. These "solar eruptions" manifest themselves in the form of solar flares, filament eruptions, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and energetic particle releases. They are of high interest to scientists both because they represent fundamental processes that occur in various astrophysical context, and because, if directed toward Earth, they can disrupt Earth-based systems and satellites. Research over the last few decades has shown that the source of the eruptions is localized regions of energy-storing magnetic field on the Sun that become destabilized, leading to a release of the stored energy. Solar scientists have (probably) unraveled the basic outline of what happens in these eruptions, but many details are still not understood. In recent years we have been studying what triggers these magnetic eruptions, using ground-based and satellite-based solar observations in combination with predictions from various theoretical models. We will present an overview of solar activity and solar eruptions, give results from some of our own research, and discuss questions that remain to be explored.

Solid state ionics: a Japan perspective

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Osamu

2017-01-01

Abstract The 70-year history of scientific endeavor of solid state ionics research in Japan is reviewed to show the contribution of Japanese scientists to the basic science of solid state ionics and its applications. The term ‘solid state ionics’ was defined by Takehiko Takahashi of Nagoya University, Japan: it refers to ions in solids, especially solids that exhibit high ionic conductivity at a fairly low temperature below their melting points. During the last few decades of exploration, many ion conducting solids have been discovered in Japan such as the copper-ion conductor Rb4Cu16I7Cl13, proton conductor SrCe1–xYxO3, oxide-ion conductor La0.9Sr0.9Ga0.9Mg0.1O3, and lithium-ion conductor Li10GeP2S12. Rb4Cu16I7Cl13 has a conductivity of 0.33 S cm–1 at 25 °C, which is the highest of all room temperature ion conductive solid electrolytes reported to date, and Li10GeP2S12 has a conductivity of 0.012 S cm–1 at 25 °C, which is the highest among lithium-ion conductors reported to date. Research on high-temperature proton conducting ceramics began in Japan. The history, the discovery of novel ionic conductors and the story behind them are summarized along with basic science and technology. PMID:28804526

Solid state ionics: a Japan perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Osamu

2017-12-01

The 70-year history of scientific endeavor of solid state ionics research in Japan is reviewed to show the contribution of Japanese scientists to the basic science of solid state ionics and its applications. The term 'solid state ionics' was defined by Takehiko Takahashi of Nagoya University, Japan: it refers to ions in solids, especially solids that exhibit high ionic conductivity at a fairly low temperature below their melting points. During the last few decades of exploration, many ion conducting solids have been discovered in Japan such as the copper-ion conductor Rb4Cu16I7Cl13, proton conductor SrCe1-xYxO3, oxide-ion conductor La0.9Sr0.9Ga0.9Mg0.1O3, and lithium-ion conductor Li10GeP2S12. Rb4Cu16I7Cl13 has a conductivity of 0.33 S cm-1 at 25 °C, which is the highest of all room temperature ion conductive solid electrolytes reported to date, and Li10GeP2S12 has a conductivity of 0.012 S cm-1 at 25 °C, which is the highest among lithium-ion conductors reported to date. Research on high-temperature proton conducting ceramics began in Japan. The history, the discovery of novel ionic conductors and the story behind them are summarized along with basic science and technology.

What Constitutes Traditional and Modern Eating? The Case of Japan.

PubMed

Sproesser, Gudrun; Imada, Sumio; Furumitsu, Isato; Rozin, Paul; Ruby, Matthew B; Arbit, Naomi; Fischler, Claude; Schupp, Harald T; Renner, Britta

2018-01-25

Traditional Japanese dietary culture might be a factor contributing to the high life expectancy in Japan. As little is known about what constitutes traditional and modern eating in Japan, the aims of the current study were to (1) comprehensively compile and systematize the various facets of traditional and modern eating; and (2) investigate whether these facets also apply to traditional and modern eating in Japan. In Study 1, an extensive international literature review was performed. Forty-five facets of traditional and modern eating were compiled and systematized into the dimensions of what and how people eat, and into eleven separate subdimensions. In Study 2, 340 adults from Japan answered a questionnaire. Results showed that traditional and modern eating in Japan is reflected in both what and how people eat. Within these two dimensions, ten subdimensions were found: the ingredients, processing, temporal origin, spatial origin, and variety of consumed foods, as well as temporal, spatial, and social aspects, appreciation, and concerns when eating. This study provides a broad compilation of facets of traditional and modern eating in Japan. Future research should investigate how these facets are related to life expectancy and health.

What Constitutes Traditional and Modern Eating? The Case of Japan

PubMed Central

Imada, Sumio; Furumitsu, Isato; Rozin, Paul; Ruby, Matthew B.; Arbit, Naomi; Fischler, Claude; Schupp, Harald T.; Renner, Britta

2018-01-01

Traditional Japanese dietary culture might be a factor contributing to the high life expectancy in Japan. As little is known about what constitutes traditional and modern eating in Japan, the aims of the current study were to (1) comprehensively compile and systematize the various facets of traditional and modern eating; and (2) investigate whether these facets also apply to traditional and modern eating in Japan. In Study 1, an extensive international literature review was performed. Forty-five facets of traditional and modern eating were compiled and systematized into the dimensions of what and how people eat, and into eleven separate subdimensions. In Study 2, 340 adults from Japan answered a questionnaire. Results showed that traditional and modern eating in Japan is reflected in both what and how people eat. Within these two dimensions, ten subdimensions were found: the ingredients, processing, temporal origin, spatial origin, and variety of consumed foods, as well as temporal, spatial, and social aspects, appreciation, and concerns when eating. This study provides a broad compilation of facets of traditional and modern eating in Japan. Future research should investigate how these facets are related to life expectancy and health. PMID:29370081

How sustainable is Japan's foreign aid policy? An analysis of Japan's official development assistance and funding for energy sector projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hideka

Japan has adopted a sustainable development strategy since the late 1980s in the effort to address social and environmental damages caused by past Japan-funded projects in partner nations. Even after about a decade and a half of the policy implementation, however, there are few reports which critically examine effects of the adoption of the idea of sustainable development. This dissertation evaluates Japan's foreign aid policy to determine the extent to which new revisions of aid policy have improved the environmental sustainability of the policy. This dissertation reviews the mainstream idea of sustainable development (also known as the sustainable development paradigm in this dissertation) to reveal the nature of the idea of sustainable development that Japan's foreign aid policy depends on. A literature review of two development discourses---modernization theory and ecological modernization theory---and three types of critiques against the sustainable development paradigm---focused on adverse impacts of modern science, globalization, and environmental overuse---reveals core logics of and problems with the sustainable development paradigm. Japan's foreign aid policy impacts on energy sector development in recipient countries is examined by means of a quantitative analysis and a qualitative analysis. Specifically, it examines the effect of Japan's ODA program over fifteen years that proposed to facilitate sustainable development in developing countries. Special emphasis is given to investigation of ODA disbursements in the energy sector and detailed case studies of several individual energy projects are performed. The dissertation discovers that the sustainable development paradigm guiding Japan's ODA has little capacity to accomplish its goals to bring about social and ecological improvement in developing countries. This dissertation finds three fundamental weaknesses in Japanese ODA policy on energy sector development as well as the sustainable development

Bunko: Private Mini-Libraries for Children in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takeuchi, Satoru

"Bunko" are local mini-libraries for children in Japan, operated voluntarily by individuals or groups of parents, intended to nurture children's reading interest by offering them an inviting reading environment. In 1993, there were an estimated 4,000 bunko in Japan, with approximately 32,000 adult bunko members (90% female). Bunko…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Gujarat Solar One | Concentrating

Science.gov Websites

Solar Power | NREL Gujarat Solar One This page provides information on Gujarat Solar One, a configuration. Status Date: February 12, 2014 Project Overview Project Name: Gujarat Solar One Country: India

The MEXART ips observations in route to the next solar maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrillo-Vargas, Armando; Gonzalez-Esparza, Americo; Andrade, Ernesto; Perez-Enriquez, Roman; Aguilar-Rodriguez, Ernesto; Casillas-Perez, Gilberto; Jeyakumar, Solai; Kurtz, Stanley; Sierra, Pablo; Vazquez, Samuel

We report the status of the Mexican Array Radio Telescope (MEXART) in preparation for the next solar maximum. During this epoch, the MEXART will be one of the four dedicated radio telescopes (with the ORT in India; STEL in Japan; and MWA in Australia) to track large-scale structures in the solar wind using the interplanetary scintillation (IPS) technique. This network of IPS observatories would produce, for the first time four g maps of the sky showing the size and shape of disturbances between the Sun and the Earth. We describe the operation and current observations of the first IPS radio sources at 140 MHz detected by the MEXART. These observations use a plane dipole array of 1024 elements (16 lines with 64 dipoles each one), feeding a Butler matrix of 16x16 ports. This system generates a 16 lobes at fixed declinations covering 120 degrees (from 40 degrees South to 80 degrees North). The beam fan uses the Earth's rotation to cover the whole sky. The observations that will be made with the network of observatories of interplanetary flashing will complement the observations of other observatories, instruments in situ, space probes, satellite, among others.

Infrared spectro-polarimeter on the Solar Flare Telescope at NAOJ/Mitaka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakurai, Takashi; Hanaoka, Yoichiro; Arai, Takehiko; Hagino, Masaoki; Kawate, Tomoko; Kitagawa, Naomasa; Kobiki, Toshihiko; Miyashita, Masakuni; Morita, Satoshi; Otsuji, Ken'ichi; Shinoda, Kazuya; Suzuki, Isao; Yaji, Kentaro; Yamasaki, Takayuki; Fukuda, Takeo; Noguchi, Motokazu; Takeyama, Norihide; Kanai, Yoshikazu; Yamamuro, Tomoyasu

2018-05-01

An infrared spectro-polarimeter installed on the Solar Flare Telescope at the Mitaka headquarters of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is described. The new spectro-polarimeter observes the full Sun via slit scans performed at two wavelength bands, one near 1565 nm for a Zeeman-sensitive spectral line of Fe I and the other near 1083 nm for He I and Si I lines. The full Stokes profiles are recorded; the Fe I and Si I lines give information on photospheric vector magnetic fields, and the helium line is suitable for deriving chromospheric magnetic fields. The infrared detector we are using is an InGaAs camera with 640 × 512 pixels and a read-out speed of 90 frames s-1. The solar disk is covered by two swaths (the northern and southern hemispheres) of 640 pixels each. The final magnetic maps are made of 1200 × 1200 pixels with a pixel size of 1{^''.}8. We have been carrying out regular observations since 2010 April, and have provided full-disk, full-Stokes maps, at the rate of a few maps per day, on the internet.

Solar Cycle #24 and the Solar Dynamo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schatten, Kenneth; Pesnell, W. Dean

2007-01-01

We focus on two solar aspects related to flight dynamics. These are the solar dynamo and long-term solar activity predictions. The nature of the solar dynamo is central to solar activity predictions, and these predictions are important for orbital planning of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). The reason is that the solar ultraviolet (UV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral irradiances inflate the upper atmospheric layers of the Earth, forming the thermosphere and exosphere through which these satellites orbit. Concerning the dynamo, we discuss some recent novel approaches towards its understanding. For solar predictions we concentrate on a solar precursor method, in which the Sun's polar field plays a major role in forecasting the next cycle s activity based upon the Babcock-Leighton dynamo. With a current low value for the Sun s polar field, this method predicts that solar cycle #24 will be one of the lowest in recent times, with smoothed F10.7 radio flux values peaking near 130 plus or minus 30 (2 sigma), in the 2013 timeframe. One may have to consider solar activity as far back as the early 20th century to find a cycle of comparable magnitude. Concomitant effects of low solar activity upon satellites in LEO will need to be considered, such as enhancements in orbital debris. Support for our prediction of a low solar cycle #24 is borne out by the lack of new cycle sunspots at least through the first half of 2007. Usually at the present epoch in the solar cycle (approx. 7+ years after the last solar maximum), for a normal size following cycle, new cycle sunspots would be seen. The lack of their appearance at this time is only consistent with a low cycle #24. Polar field observations of a weak magnitude are consistent with unusual structures seen in the Sun s corona. Polar coronal holes are the hallmarks of the Sun's open field structures. At present, it appears that the polar coronal holes are relatively weak, and there have been many equatorial coronal holes

Solar Cycle #24 and the Solar Dynamo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pesnell, W. Dean; Schatten, Kenneth

2007-01-01

We focus on two solar aspects related to flight dynamics. These are the solar dynamo and long-term solar activity predictions. The nature of the solar dynamo is central to solar activity predictions, and these predictions are important for orbital planning of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). The reason is that the solar ultraviolet (UV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral irradiances inflate the upper atmospheric layers of the Earth, forming the thermosphere and exosphere through which these satellites orbit. Concerning the dynamo, we discuss some recent novel approaches towards its understanding. For solar predictions we concentrate on a solar precursor method, in which the Sun s polar field plays a major role in forecasting the next cycle s activity based upon the Babcock- Leighton dynamo. With a current low value for the Sun s polar field, this method predicts that solar cycle #24 will be one of the lowest in recent times, with smoothed F10.7 radio flux values peaking near 130+ 30 (2 4, in the 2013 timeframe. One may have to consider solar activity as far back as the early 20th century to find a cycle of comparable magnitude. Concomitant effects of low solar activity upon satellites in LEO will need to be considered, such as enhancements in orbital debris. Support for our prediction of a low solar cycle #24 is borne out by the lack of new cycle sunspots at least through the first half of 2007. Usually at the present epoch in the solar cycle (-7+ years after the last solar maximum), for a normal size following cycle, new cycle sunspots would be seen. The lack of their appearance at this time is only consistent with a low cycle #24. Polar field observations of a weak magnitude are consistent with unusual structures seen in the Sun s corona. Polar coronal holes are the hallmarks of the Sun s open field structures. At present, it appears that the polar coronal holes are relatively weak, and there have been many equatorial coronal holes. This appears

The present situation of prophylactic vaccination in Japan for travel abroad.

PubMed

Nakano, Takashi

2008-11-01

The current situation of vaccination in Japan is reviewed from a viewpoint of overseas travelers. Vaccinations before travel to developing countries, where the risk of infection is high, are recommended for two reasons: "individual protection" and "prevention of communicable disease importation". However, there are problems in Japan; some vaccines available commonly in foreign nations are not approved in Japan and the vaccination schedule is not convenient for travelers. Vaccination is sometimes needed also for travel to Europe and North America. This is because certain vaccinations are required for entering school or studying abroad. In Japan, there is no regulation which recommends vaccination as an entrance requirement. Compared with other nations, Japanese children receive fewer vaccines routinely. On the other hand, there are different features from other industrialized nations, such as routine childhood BCG vaccination and immunization against Japanese encephalitis in Japan. Compared with foreign nations, awareness as regards "travel medicine" is lower in Japan. Recognizing this situation will lead to improvement of vaccination of travelers.

Okinawa, Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-08-11

The southern half of the island of Okinawa, Japan (26.5N, 128.0E) can be seen in this nearly cloud free view. Okinawa is part of the Ryuku Islands which extend from Taiwan northeastward to Kyushu, southernmost of the Japanese Home Islands. The large military base at Kadena, with large runways, is visible near the center of the scene. Kadena is one of several emergency landing sites around the world for the space shuttle.

Radar Image, Hokkaido, Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-05-18

The southeast part of the island of Hokkaido, Japan, is an area dominated by volcanoes and volcanic caldera. The active Usu Volcano is at the lower right edge of the circular Lake Toya-Ko and near the center of the image.

History Textbook Reform in Allied Occupation Japan, 1945-52.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thakur, Yoko H.

1995-01-01

Observes that, although textbook reform in occupied Japan originally supported democratic principles of openness and competition, it later became a mechanism for anticommunist censorship. Maintains that interpretations of Japan's military conduct remain highly politicized and controversial. (MJP)

Continuity and Change in Disaster Education in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitagawa, Kaori

2015-01-01

This article aims to describe post-war continuity and change in disaster education in Japan. Preparedness for natural disasters has been a continuous agenda in Japan for geographical and meteorological reasons, and disaster education has been practised in both formal and informal settings. Post-war disaster management and education have taken a…

Beyond the Limitations of Environmental Education in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imamura, Mitsuyuki

2017-01-01

Environmental education has not spread as widely in Japan as expected and therefore has not had any significant impact on environmental problems, even though many educators and researchers have devoted themselves to environmental educational practice. Why is environmental education not popular in Japan, and what does this tell us? The purpose of…

Activities of the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oba, A.; Miyazaki, H.

2012-07-01

This reports a history and future prospects of the activities by the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan. For growths of academic fields, active communications among students and young scientists are indispensable. Several academic communities in geoinformation fields are established by youths and play important roles of building networks over schools and institutes. The networks are expected to be innovative cooperation after the youths achieve their professions. Although academic communities are getting fixed growth particularly in Japan, youths had gotten little opportunities to make contacts with youths themselves. To promote gotten youth activities among geoinformation fields, in 1998, we started a series of programs that named the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan involving students and young scientists within the annual conferences, Geoinformation Forum Japan. The programs have provided opportunities to do presentation their studies by posters, some events, and motivations to create networks among students and young scientists. From 2009, some members of our activities set additional conference in west area of Japan. Thus our activities are spread within Japan. As a result of these achievements, the number of youth dedicating to the programs keeps growing. From 2009, it's getting international gradually, however, almost all the participants are still Japanese. To keep and expand the network, we are planning to make some nodes with some Asian youth organizations in the field of geoinformation. This paper is concluded with proposals and future prospects on the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan.

Connecting Higher Education Research in Japan with the International Academic Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yonezawa, Akiyoshi

2015-01-01

This study examines the historical, current, and future challenges of higher education research in Japan within a global context. Japanese higher education research has been strongly influenced by the international academic community. At the same time, higher education researchers in Japan have participated in international projects, and Japan has…

75 FR 65213 - Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-22

...-0020] RIN 0579-AD08 Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples From Japan AGENCY: Animal and Plant... the importation of Fuji variety apples from Japan to allow all varieties of Malus domestica apples... that the risk associated with allowing other varieties of M. domestica apples from Japan into the...

75 FR 11071 - Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples from Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-10

... on Apples from Japan AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Proposed rule... Japan to allow all varieties of Malus domestica apples into the United States under the same conditions... apples from Japan to be imported into the United States while continuing to protect against the...

Developing Native Social Intuition in Preparation for an Internship in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamashita, Margaret Y.

The program of the Japan-American Institute of Management Sciences (JAIMS) in Hawaii, a nonprofit graduate-level institution intended to support training for cross-cultural business leadership, is described and discussed. Two curricula, the Japan-focused Master of Business Administration program and the Japan-focused Management Program are offered…

International HIV and AIDS prevention: Japan/United States collaboration.

PubMed

Umenai, T; Narula, M; Onuki, D; Yamamoto, T; Igari, T

1997-01-01

As the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS pandemic shifts from Africa to Asia, Japan is becoming ever more aware of the importance of containing and preventing spread of the virus. International collaboration, particularly with the United States, is a logical approach because it allows utilization of expertise from countries in other stages of the pandemic, can prevent duplication of efforts, and complements efforts of the other countries. Further, both Japan and the United States can use their combined influence and prestige to encourage cooperation among all nations. In 1994, Japan established the Global Issues Initiative to extend cooperation to developing countries in the areas of population and AIDS control. It has disbursed more than $460 million (U.S.$) to promote active cooperation and stimulate international attention to the importance of addressing these health issues. Japan has established four main programs for international collaboration for control of HIV and AIDS, three operated by ministries and one by a Japanese nongovernmental organization. Japanese/United States collaboration is developing through the United States/Japan Cooperative Medical Sciences Program, the Common Agenda for Cooperation in Global Perspective, the Paris Summit, and the United Nations Joint Programme on AIDS. It is critical that Japan and the United States, as the two largest donors to international development, demonstrate, through their collaboration, ways to maximize the use of limited resources, reduce duplication, and promote sustainable development programs in which HIV prevention and AIDS care programs are systemically integrated.

Star Week- A Successful Campaign in Japan -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, J.

2006-08-01

In 1995, we started a campaign of the star week as between August 1 and 7 when it is usually expected that most part of Japan should be good weather after the rainy season during the summer holiday. Several hundreds of astronomical facilities for general public in Japan, including planetariums, museums, and public observatories participated in our campaign, together with make good collaborations for education purpose. More than 200 astronomical events such as star parties were coordinated for general public every year. Japan is one of the worst countries for light pollution. Especially most of children have no experience of seeing Milky Way. Let them see the real stars. Let them feel the universe by inviting them to the related astronomical facilities located all over Japan. For realizing this purpose, it is better to set the special week, similar to the "Bird Week" by arranging various astronomical events in these facilities in order to invite all the general public. This is the motivation of the beginning of the star week. Such outreach program should give opportunity for general public to understand the excitement of the astronomy. In this paper, we will introduce present situation of our campaign, along with some statistics.

Solar Energy: Solar System Design Fundamentals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Henry H., III

This module on solar system design fundamentals is one of six in a series intended for use as supplements to currently available materials on solar energy and energy conservation. Together with the recommended texts and references (sources are identified), these modules provide an effective introduction to energy conservation and solar energy…

Taeniasis and cysticercosis due to Taenia solium in Japan.

PubMed

Yanagida, Tetsuya; Sako, Yasuhito; Nakao, Minoru; Nakaya, Kazuhiro; Ito, Akira

2012-01-17

Taenia solium is a zoonotic cestode that causes taeniasis and cysticercosis in humans. The parasite is traditionally found in developing countries where undercooked pork is consumed under poor sanitary conditions and/or as part of traditional food cultures. However, the recent increase in international tourism and immigration is spreading the disease into non-endemic developed countries such as the United States. Although there has been concern that the number of cysticercosis cases is increasing in Japan, the current situation is not clear. This is largely because taeniasis and cysticercosis are not notifiable conditions in Japan and because there have been no comprehensive reviews of T. solium infections in Japan conducted in the last 15 years. Herein, we provide an overview of the status of T. solium infection in Japan over the past 35 years and point out the potential risks to Japanese society.

76 FR 798 - Ball Bearings From Japan and the United Kingdom

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-06

... Remand)] Ball Bearings From Japan and the United Kingdom AGENCY: United States International Trade... determination in the five-year review of the antidumping duty order on ball bearings from Japan. For further... Certain Bearings and Parts Thereof from Japan and the United Kingdom, Inv. Nos. 731-TA-394-A & 399-A...

75 FR 30856 - Ball Bearings From Japan and the United Kingdom

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

... Remand)] Ball Bearings From Japan and the United Kingdom AGENCY: United States International Trade... determinations in the five-year reviews of the antidumping orders on ball bearings from Japan and the United... Certain Bearings and Parts Thereof From Japan and the United Kingdom, Inv. Nos. 731-TA- 394-A & 399-A...

76 FR 76760 - Gray Portland Cement and Cement Clinker From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-08

... and Cement Clinker From Japan Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject... duty order on gray Portland cement and cement clinker from Japan would be likely to lead to... and Cement Clinker from Japan: Investigation No. 731- TA-461 (Third Review). By order of the...

Solar energy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rapp, D.

1981-01-01

The book opens with a review of the patterns of energy use and resources in the United States, and an exploration of the potential of solar energy to supply some of this energy in the future. This is followed by background material on solar geometry, solar intensities, flat plate collectors, and economics. Detailed attention is then given to a variety of solar units and systems, including domestic hot water systems, space heating systems, solar-assisted heat pumps, intermediate temperature collectors, space heating/cooling systems, concentrating collectors for high temperatures, storage systems, and solar total energy systems. Finally, rights to solar access are discussed.

Solar Energy: Solar and the Weather.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Henry H., III

This module on solar and the weather is one of six in a series intended for use as supplements to currently available materials on solar energy and energy conservation. Together with the recommended texts and references (sources are identified), these modules provide an effective introduction to energy conservation and solar energy technologies.…

Nuclear Power in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, John W.

1983-01-01

Energy consumption in Japan has grown at a faster rate than in any other major industrial country. To maintain continued prosperity, the government has embarked on a crash program for nuclear power. Current progress and issues/reactions to the plan are discussed. (JN)

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Japan

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-03-25

NASA Terra spacecraft shows the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge or Pearl Bridge, the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world, at 1991 meters, connecting the city of Kobe, Japan with Iwaja on Awaji Island by crossing the busy Akashi Strait.

78 FR 60897 - Certain Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-02

... Diameter Line Pipe From Japan Determination On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject five... order on certain welded large diameter line pipe from Japan would likely to lead to continuation or... Line Pipe from Japan: Investigation No. 731-TA-919 (Second Review). By order of the Commission. Issued...

Trade, Foreign Investment, and Competitiveness. The Japan Business Study Program. Based on a Seminar Series entitled "Japan Business Study Program 1989" (Austin, Texas, October 12-27, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matsuo, Hirofumi, Ed.

Seven articles are presented addressing topics related to United States-Japan trade, foreign investment, and U.S. competitiveness in the global market. The first article, "Super 301 and the Changing Japan-American Relationship" by Glenn Davis describes recent U.S.-Japan trade frictions, epitomized by Super 301, and explains the influence…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - eCare Solar Thermal Project |

Science.gov Websites

Concentrating Solar Power | NREL eCare Solar Thermal Project This page provides information on eCare Solar Thermal Project, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by Project Name: eCare Solar Thermal Project Country: Morocco Location: Undefined Owner(s): CNIM (100

Media Education in Japan (Retrospect and Present Trends).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takakuwa, Yasuo

This overview of the development of media education in Japan begins with a discussion of the motion picture as entertainment and the public attitude toward film in Japan during the early years of the century. The introduction of film education into the schools in the 1920s--both teaching by film and teaching about film--is then described together…

High-level manpower movement and Japan's foreign aid.

PubMed

Furuya, K

1992-01-01

"Japan's technical assistance programs to Asian countries are summarized. Movements of high-level manpower accompanying direct foreign investments by private enterprise are also reviewed. Proposals for increased human resources development include education and training of foreigners in Japan as well as the training of Japanese aid experts and the development of networks for information exchange." excerpt

Japan: Super-Aging Society Preparing for the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muramatsu, Naoko; Akiyama, Hiroko

2011-01-01

Japan has the highest proportion of older adults in the world. Aging is not only an immediate personal issue but also a salient factor in crucial public policies, such as pensions, health, and long-term care. The Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant disaster of March 2011 has highlighted current and emerging issues of a…

Over-Education and Its Opportunity Cost in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucel, Aleksander; Molina, Ivette Fuentes; Raya, Josep Maria

2016-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the determinants of over-education in Japan and evaluate its opportunity costs for university graduates. To this end, we use the REFLEX data. Results reveal that over-education level in Japan is high and it brings an important wage penalty for Japanese workers. Large firm and high occupations point toward a…

Effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines against hospitalisations in Japan.

PubMed

Fujii, Yoshiyuki; Noguchi, Atsuko; Miura, Shinobu; Ishii, Haruka; Nakagomi, Toyoko; Nakagomi, Osamu; Takahashi, Tsutomu

2017-07-11

In Japan, rotavirus hospitalisation occurs at a rate from 2.8 to 13.7 per 1000 child-years among children age less than 5 years, and it imposes a substantial burden to the healthcare system in the country. While both monovalent (RV1) and pentavalent (RV5) rotavirus vaccines are licensed in Japan, neither has been incorporated in the national infant immunization programme. In this study, we estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) in Japan. This study was conducted in Yuri-Kumiai General Hospital located in a city in the north-western part of Japan. Age-eligible children for rotavirus vaccination were enrolled if they were hospitalized for rotavirus gastroenteritis between September 2013 and August 2016. Rotavirus gastroenteritis was defined by the detection of rotavirus antigen by immunochromatography. "Vaccinated" was defined as infant inoculated with at least one dose of either RV1 or RV5. A conditional logistic regression analysis was performed by modelling the year of birth, year of admission, residence of the children and vaccination status, and by matching the age of cases with that of test-negative controls. The adjusted odds ratio of the vaccinated over unvaccinated was then used to calculate VE in the formula of (1 - adjusted odds ratio) × 100. Out of the 244 patients enrolled, rotavirus antigen was detected in 55 (22.5%) of whom 10 (18.2%) were vaccinated, whereas 94 (49.7%) of 189 test-negative controls were vaccinated. During the study period, the vaccine uptake rate in the controls increased from 36.2% to 61.8%. On the other hand, the vaccination coverage over the three years was 64.2% in Yuri-Honjo city (three quarters of the catchment), and 91.4% in Nikaho city (one quarter of the catchment). The VE was calculated to be 70.4% (95% confidence interval: 36.0-86.4%, P = 0.002). The point estimate of the VE was lower but its 95% confidence interval overlaps those of the efficacies obtained from clinical trials in Japan. The rotavirus vaccine was

78 FR 58997 - Chlorinated Isocyanurates From Japan: Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-25

... From Japan: Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigation AGENCY: Import Administration, International... (``AD'') petition concerning imports of chlorinated isocyanurates (``chlorinated isos'') from Japan... Japan, dated August 29, 2013 (``Petition''). \\2\\ See First Supplement to the AD Petition, dated...

Cancer incidence and incidence rates in Japan in 2009: a study of 32 population-based cancer registries for the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan (MCIJ) project.

PubMed

Hori, Megumi; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Shibata, Akiko; Katanoda, Kota; Sobue, Tomotaka; Nishimoto, Hiroshi

2015-09-01

The Japan Cancer Surveillance Research Group aimed to estimate the cancer incidence in Japan in 2009 based on data collected from 32 of 37 population-based cancer registries, as part of the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan (MCIJ) project. The incidence of only primary invasive cancer in Japan for 2009 was estimated to be 775 601. Stomach cancer and breast cancer were the leading types of cancer in males and females, respectively. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The solar energetic particle propagation of solar flare events on 24th solar cycle.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paluk, P.; Khumlumlert, T.; Kanlayaprasit, N.; Aiemsa-ad, N.

2017-09-01

Now the Sun is in the 24th solar cycle. The peak of solar cycle correspond to the number of the Sun activities, which one of them is solar flare. The solar flare is the violent explosion at the solar atmosphere and releases the high energy ion from the Sun to the interplanetary medium. Solar energetic particles or solar cosmic ray have important effect on the Earth, such as disrupt radio communication. We analyze the particle transport of the solar flare events on August 9, 2011, January 27, 2012, and November 3, 2013 in 24th solar cycle. The particle data for each solar flare was obtained from SIS instrument on ACE spacecraft. We simulate the particle transport with the equation of Ruffolo 1995, 1998. We solve the transport equation with the numerical technique of finite different. We find the injection duration from the Sun to the Earth by the compared fitting method of piecewise linear function between the simulation results and particle data from spacecraft. The position of these solar flare events are on the west side of the Sun, which are N18W68, N33W85, and S12W16. We found that mean free path is roughly constant for a single event. This implies that the interplanetary scattering is approximately energy independent, but the level of scattering varies with time. The injection duration decreases with increasing energy. We found the resultant variation of the highest energy and lowest energy, because the effect of space environments and the number of the detected data was small. The high mean free path of the high energy particles showed the transport capability of particles along to the variable magnetic field line. The violent explosion of these solar flares didn’t affect on the Earth magnetic field with Kp-index less than 3.

Solar Physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, S. T.

2000-01-01

The areas of emphasis are: (1) develop theoretical models of the transient release of magnetic energy in the solar atmosphere, e.g., in solar flares, eruptive prominences, coronal mass ejections, etc.; (2) investigate the role of the Sun's magnetic field in the structuring of solar corona by the development of three-dimensional numerical models that describe the field configuration at various heights in the solar atmosphere by extrapolating the field at the photospheric level; (3) develop numerical models to investigate the physical parameters obtained by the ULYSSES mission; (4) develop numerical and theoretical models to investigate solar activity effects on the solar wind characteristics for the establishment of the solar-interplanetary transmission line; and (5) develop new instruments to measure solar magnetic fields and other features in the photosphere, chromosphere transition region and corona. We focused our investigation on the fundamental physical processes in solar atmosphere which directly effect our Planet Earth. The overall goal is to establish the physical process for the Sun-Earth connections.

Neo-Liberalism and Change in Higher Education Policy: England and Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yokoyama, Keiko

2008-01-01

The study scrutinizes the rationale behind higher education policy change in England and Japan, giving attention to stakeholders' perspective and legitimacy, policy network, and policy sphere. It argues that change in higher education policy in England and Japan towards being more market-oriented in the 1980s (England) and the 1990s (Japan) can…

Timing of Neogene Manganese Deposit Formation in the Paleo-Japan Sea, northeast Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, T.; Orihashi, Y.; Yanagisawa, Y.; Sakai, S.; Motoyama, I.; Kamikuri, S. I.; Komuro, K.; Suzuki, K.

2017-12-01

The generation ages of the two Neogene manganese deposits in northeast Japan were determined by diatom and radiolarian biostratigraphic analyses and zircon U-Pb dating. The manganese deposits analyzed were from the Kitaichi and Maruyama mines in the Fukaura district, northeast Japan. Manganese oxide layers of 0.5 m (Kitaichi) and 1.5 m (Maruyama) in thickness were predominantly composed of todorokite and occur conformably within volcanogenic sediments, which stratigraphically had correlated to middle Miocene in previous studies. The ages of the manganese oxide layers were 12.4 Ma. There was no time gap between the Kitaichi and the Maruyama manganese oxide layers, between the manganese oxide layer and the underlying tuffaceous sandstone in the Kitaichi mine, or within the manganese oxide layer of ca. 1.5 m thickness in the Maruyama mine. On the other hand, the overlying tuffaceous sandstone was dated at 4.5 Ma. The results suggest that the manganese oxide layers were formed immediately after the deposition of the tuffaceous sandstone at 12.4 Ma and that the restricted supply of volcanogenic and/or other detrital matter had kept for a long time (ca. 7 m.y.). The timing of the manganese deposit generation, 12.4 Ma, is identical to the age of the base of the Onnagawa Stage on the Nishikurosawa Stage in the Neogene stratotype section on the Japan Sea side, northeast Japan. And this is equivalent to the age of the start of diatom blooming. Paleogeographically, the manganese oxide deposition happened in a shallower area on a paleo-hill or a small island surrounded by stagnant mid to deep basins with diatom and organically carbon-rich, laminated, and fine-grained mud. It is highly probable that upwelling of mid to deep water rich in both dissolved manganese and nutrients is the trigger for the manganese deposit generation in shallower areas and the deposition of diatomaceous sediments in mid and deep basins. Eustatic regression might be the reason for the short

Estimating the burden of foodborne diseases in Japan

PubMed Central

Kumagai, Yuko; Gilmour, Stuart; Ota, Erika; Momose, Yoshika; Onishi, Toshiro; Bilano, Ver Luanni Feliciano; Kasuga, Fumiko; Sekizaki, Tsutomu

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective To assess the burden posed by foodborne diseases in Japan using methods developed by the World Health Organization’s Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG). Methods Expert consultation and statistics on food poisoning during 2011 were used to identify three common causes of foodborne disease in Japan: Campylobacter and Salmonella species and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). We conducted systematic reviews of English and Japanese literature on the complications caused by these pathogens, by searching Embase, the Japan medical society abstract database and Medline. We estimated the annual incidence of acute gastroenteritis from reported surveillance data, based on estimated probabilities that an affected person would visit a physician and have gastroenteritis confirmed. We then calculated disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost in 2011, using the incidence estimates along with disability weights derived from published studies. Findings In 2011, foodborne disease caused by Campylobacter species, Salmonella species and EHEC led to an estimated loss of 6099, 3145 and 463 DALYs in Japan, respectively. These estimated burdens are based on the pyramid reconstruction method; are largely due to morbidity rather than mortality; and are much higher than those indicated by routine surveillance data. Conclusion Routine surveillance data may indicate foodborne disease burdens that are much lower than the true values. Most of the burden posed by foodborne disease in Japan comes from secondary complications. The tools developed by FERG appear useful in estimating disease burdens and setting priorities in the field of food safety. PMID:26478611

[Comparison between transmission of modern western medicine in China and Japan].

PubMed

Liu, Yuan-Ming

2009-05-01

In the middle period of the 16th century, western medicine had been introduced successively into China and Japan by the medium of Catholic missionaries. The transmission mode of western medicine in the two countries differed dramatically from each other due to the political, economic and social cultural differences of that time. In China, the transmission of western medicine focused on the theory first and transferred to the practical use later; while in Japan, it began with clinical treatment, then rose from the technology to the theory. As a result, the cognition to the western medical knowledge and medical system as well as the transplanting and localization in China and Japan were significantly different. The local western medical groups emerged earlier in Japan than in China, and the attitude toward western medicine was also more positive and a national health system was quickly established. The corresponding situation in China obviously lagged behind the one in Japan, and China learned from the successful experiences of Japan for a time.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Genesis Solar Energy Project |

Science.gov Websites

Concentrating Solar Power | NREL Genesis Solar Energy Project This page provides information on the Genesis Solar Energy Project, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by background, participants, and power plant configuration. The Project includes two 125-MW units incorporating

Five-Year Outcomes of the First Pivotal Clinical Trial of Balloon-Expandable Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Japan (PREVAIL JAPAN).

PubMed

Sawa, Yoshiki; Takayama, Morimasa; Goto, Tsuyoshi; Takanashi, Shuichiro; Komiya, Tatsuhiko; Tobaru, Tetsuya; Maeda, Koichi; Kuratani, Toru; Sakata, Yasushi

2017-07-25

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been an alternative less invasive therapy for high-surgical risk/inoperable patients with aortic valve stenosis (AS) in Japan. We report 5-year outcomes of the first pivotal clinical trial of TAVR in Japan (PREVAIL JAPAN).Methods and Results:A total of 64 patients with AS who were considered unsuitable candidates for surgery were enrolled at 3 centers in Japan (mean age: 84.3±6.1 years, female: 65.6%, STS score: 9.0±4.5%). Transfemoral approach (TF) and transapical approach (TA) was performed in 37 patients and 27 patients, respectively. At 5 years, freedom from all-cause death was 52.7% (TF: 51.3%, TA: 56.3%). Risk of all stroke at 5-year was 15.8% (TF: 8.9%, TA: 25.5%) and risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at 5 years was 58.0% (TF: 51.3%, TA: 69.2%). Mild or greater aortic regurgitation (AR) at 1 week was not associated with increased all-cause death at 5 years (69.1%) compared with none or trace AR (48.3%) (P=0.184). Patients with high STS score (>8) had higher mortality rate than those with low STS scores (≤8). The 5-year data from PREVAIL JAPAN show the clinical benefit of TAVR and suggest that balloon-expandable TAVR is an effective treatment option for Japanese patients with severe AS who are not suitable for surgery. (Funded by Edwards Lifesciences Limited; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01113983.).

Current status of portal vein thrombosis in Japan: Results of a questionnaire survey by the Japan Society for Portal Hypertension.

PubMed

Kojima, Seiichiro; Watanabe, Norihito; Koizumi, Jun; Kokubu, Shigehiro; Murashima, Naoya; Matsutani, Shoichi; Obara, Katsutoshi

2018-03-01

To investigate the current status of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in Japan, the Clinical Research Committee of the Japan Society of Portal Hypertension undertook a questionnaire survey. A questionnaire survey of 539 cases of PVT over the previous 10 years was carried out at institutions affiliated with the Board of Trustees of the Japan Society of Portal Hypertension. The most frequent underlying etiology of PVT was liver cirrhosis in 75.3% of patients. Other causes included inflammatory diseases of the hepatobiliary system and the pancreas, malignant tumors, and hematologic diseases. The most frequent site was the main trunk of the portal vein (MPV) in 70.5%, and complete obstruction of the MPV was present in 11.5%. Among the medications for PVT, danaparoid was given to 45.8%, warfarin to 26.2%, heparin to 17.3%, and anti-thrombin III to 16.9%. Observation of the course was practiced in 22.4%. Factors contributing to therapeutic efficacy were implementation of various medications, thrombi localized to either the right or left portal vein only, non-complete obstruction of the MPV and Child-Pugh class A liver function. A survival analysis showed that the prognosis was favorable with PVT disappearance regardless of treatment. The questionnaire survey showed the current status of PVT in Japan. Any appropriate medication should be given to a patient with PVT when PVT is recognized. It is necessary to compile a large amount of information and reach a consensus on safe and highly effective management of PVT. © 2017 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - ACME Solar Tower | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

: 2.5 MW Gross: 2.5 MW Status: Operational Start Year: 2011 Do you have more information, corrections Contact(s): SolarPACES Start Production: April 2011 Participants Developer(s): ACME Group ; eSolar Owner(s

Taeniasis and cysticercosis due to Taenia solium in Japan

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Taenia solium is a zoonotic cestode that causes taeniasis and cysticercosis in humans. The parasite is traditionally found in developing countries where undercooked pork is consumed under poor sanitary conditions and/or as part of traditional food cultures. However, the recent increase in international tourism and immigration is spreading the disease into non-endemic developed countries such as the United States. Although there has been concern that the number of cysticercosis cases is increasing in Japan, the current situation is not clear. This is largely because taeniasis and cysticercosis are not notifiable conditions in Japan and because there have been no comprehensive reviews of T. solium infections in Japan conducted in the last 15 years. Herein, we provide an overview of the status of T. solium infection in Japan over the past 35 years and point out the potential risks to Japanese society. PMID:22248435

DIY Solar Market Analysis Webinar Series: Solar Resource and Technical

Science.gov Websites

Series: Solar Resource and Technical Potential DIY Solar Market Analysis Webinar Series: Solar Resource and Technical Potential Wednesday, June 11, 2014 As part of a Do-It-Yourself Solar Market Analysis summer series, NREL's Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT) presented a live webinar titled, "Solar

Emerging of Inorganic Hole Transporting Materials For Perovskite Solar Cells.

PubMed

Rajeswari, Ramireddy; Mrinalini, Madoori; Prasanthkumar, Seelam; Giribabu, Lingamallu

2017-07-01

Hole transporting material (HTM) is a significant component to achieve the high performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Over the years, inorganic, organic and hybrid (organic-inorganic) material based HTMs have been developed and investigated successfully. Today, perovskite solar cells achieved the efficiency of 22.1 % with with 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenyl-amine) 9,9-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) as HTM. Nevertheless, synthesis and cost of organic HTMs is a major challenging issue and therefore alternative materials are required. From the past few years, inorganic HTMs showed large improvement in power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability. Recently CuO x reached the PCE of 19.0% with better stability. These developments affirms that inorganic HTMs are better alternativesto the organic HTMs for next generation PSCs. In this report, we mainly focussed on the recent advances of inorganic and hybrid HTMs for PSCs and highlighted the efficiency and stability of PSCs improved by changing metal oxides as HTMs. Consequently, we expect that energy levels of these inorganic HTMs matches very well with the valence band of perovskites and improved efficiency helps in future practical deployment of low cost PSCs. © 2017 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Epstein-Barr virus in the enlarged salivary tissues of patients with IgG4-related disease.

PubMed

Furukawa, Takatoshi; Shimotai, Yoshitaka; Ohta, Nobuo; Ishida, Akihiro; Kurakami, Kazuya; Suzuki, Hitoshi; Yamakawa, Mitsunori; Hongo, Seiji; Kakehata, Seiji

2015-09-01

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently recognized disease entity characterized by high-serum IgG4 concentration and IgG4-producing plasma cell production with fibrotic or sclerotic changes in affected organs. We aimed to clarify the roles of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with IgG4-RDs. A retrospective clinical study at the Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan. The patient group consisted of four males and four females with an average age of 62 years (range: 48-73). Expression of IgG4, latent member protein 1, EBV nuclear antigens-2, and EBV-encoded RNA in affected salivary glands from patients with IgG4-RD was examined by using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The copy number of EBV DNA in the salivary glands was also investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. All patients had hard masses in the salivary or lacrimal glands, or both, bilaterally. Serum concentrations of IgG4 were elevated in all cases (mean 589.1, range 129-1750), and IgG4-positive plasmacytes were observed in the involved salivary glands. Four patients developed potentially life-threatening systemic involvement after initial salivary gland swelling. EBV-associated molecules (EBNA and EBER) were overexpressed in the affected salivary glands. The copy number of EBV DNA was significantly higher in patients with potentially life-threatening systemic involvement than in patients without systemic involvement (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the copy number of EBV DNA could be useful as diagnostic findings in IgG4-RD to predict potentially life-threatening systemic involvement. 4. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

From bloodletting to apheresis in Japan.

PubMed

Mazda, Toshio; Schmidt, Paul J

2010-02-01

The ancient therapy of bloodletting that was universal in the West traveled to Japan 500 years ago on the trading vessels that carried physicians and barber-surgeons to care for the body and Christian missionaries to care for the soul. Then bloodletting was replaced by blood transfusion in the 19th century, only to return less than 50 years ago as apheresis. An understanding of those transitions can be gained from the story of the introduction of Western medicine to Japan and the events that have led to the practice of apheresis there today. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endangered vascular plants in Japan

PubMed Central

Iwatsuki, Kunio

2008-01-01

The history of the Red List of Japanese vascular plants is briefly reviewed for editing and research. Especially on the results of recent monitoring, the present status of information and conservation activities on the endangered plants in Japan is discussed and the dynamics of the Japanese flora are taken up, in relation to basic research on plant biodiversity on the Japanese Archipelago. The figures of endangered plants are not very variable during the past quarter of a century, but we can surmise that the conservation of threatened species in Japan has been promoted to some extent. Based on the results of such a study, proposals are made to contribute to the sustainable use of plant biodiversity on the Japanese Archipelago under a global conspectus. PMID:18941303

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-02

U.S.-Japan FTA With the conclusion of negotiations on a U.S.-South Korean free trade agreement (KORUS FTA ) on April 1, 2007, and the formation of...block that would result over the issue of agricultural policy.10 The DPJ’s 2009 election manifesto calls for the negotiation of a U.S.-Japan FTA ...participants could not agree on the modalities that negotiators would use to determine how much they would liberalize their agricultural markets and reduce

Solar maximum: Solar array degradation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, T.

1985-01-01

The 5-year in-orbit power degradation of the silicon solar array aboard the Solar Maximum Satellite was evaluated. This was the first spacecraft to use Teflon R FEP as a coverglass adhesive, thus avoiding the necessity of an ultraviolet filter. The peak power tracking mode of the power regulator unit was employed to ensure consistent maximum power comparisons. Telemetry was normalized to account for the effects of illumination intensity, charged particle irradiation dosage, and solar array temperature. Reference conditions of 1.0 solar constant at air mass zero and 301 K (28 C) were used as a basis for normalization. Beginning-of-life array power was 2230 watts. Currently, the array output is 1830 watts. This corresponds to a 16 percent loss in array performance over 5 years. Comparison of Solar Maximum Telemetry and predicted power levels indicate that array output is 2 percent less than predictions based on an annual 1.0 MeV equivalent election fluence of 2.34 x ten to the 13th power square centimeters space environment.

Historical Development of Media Systems. I. Japan. Communication and Society 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ito, Shinichi; And Others

This report presents an insight into indigenous media forms and the introduction of modern media in Japan, and follows media development through the war and occupation to the present day. The report discusses (1) the birth of the newspaper in Japan, (2) control laws and regulations, (3) press policy under the allied forces' occupation of Japan,…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - eLLO Solar Thermal Project |

Science.gov Websites

Concentrating Solar Power | NREL eLLO Solar Thermal Project This page provides information on Llo Solar Thermal Project, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project, with data organized by Name: eLLO Solar Thermal Project (Llo) Country: France Location: Llo (Pyrénées Orientales) Owner(s

Clinical statistics of gynecologic cancers in Japan.

PubMed

Yamagami, Wataru; Nagase, Satoru; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Ino, Kazuhiko; Hachisuga, Toru; Aoki, Daisuke; Katabuchi, Hidetaka

2017-03-01

Cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, have both high morbidity and mortality among the gynecologic malignant tumors in Japan. The present study was conducted using both the population-based cancer registry and the gynecologic cancer registry to elucidate the characteristics of gynecologic malignant tumors in Japan. Based on nationwide estimates from the population-based cancer registry in Japan, the morbidities and mortality of cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers were obtained and used for analysis. Clinicopathologic factors for cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, including age, clinical stage, postsurgical stage, histological type, therapeutic strategy, and prognosis were retrieved from the gynecologic cancer registry published by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and used for analysis. The morbidities of cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers were 10,908, 13,606, and 9,384 women in 2012, respectively. The prevalence of endometrial cancer has significantly and consistently been increasing and represents the most common gynecologic malignant tumor in Japan. The mortalities of cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers were 2.1, 1.3, and 3.2 per 100,000 in 2012, respectively. In 2014, 52.2% of cervical cancer patients were classified as stage I, 22.5% as stage II, 10.2% as stage III, and 11.2% as stage IV. In addition, 71.9% of endometrial cancer patients were classified as stage I, 6.0% as stage II, 13.3% as stage III, and 7.5% as stage IV. Finally, 43.2% of ovarian cancer patients were classified as stage I, 9.1% as stage II, 27.6% as stage III, and 7.2% as stage IV. Twelve-point six percent of ovarian cancer patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Copyright © 2017. Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology.

Variations in Solar Parameters and Cosmic Rays with Solar Magnetic Polarity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oh, S.; Yi, Y., E-mail: suyeonoh@jnu.ac.kr

The sunspot number varies with the 11-year Schwabe cycle, and the solar magnetic polarity reverses every 11 years approximately at the solar maximum. Because of polarity reversal, the difference between odd and even solar cycles is seen in solar activity. In this study, we create the mean solar cycle expressed by phase using the monthly sunspot number for all solar cycles 1–23. We also generate the mean solar cycle for sunspot area, solar radio flux, and cosmic ray flux within the allowance of observational range. The mean solar cycle has one large peak at solar maximum for odd solar cyclesmore » and two small peaks for most even solar cycles. The odd and even solar cycles have the statistical difference in value and shape at a confidence level of at least 98%. For solar cycles 19–23, the second peak in the even solar cycle is larger than the first peak. This result is consistent with the frequent solar events during the declining phase after the solar maximum. The difference between odd and even solar cycles can be explained by a combined model of polarity reversal and solar rotation. In the positive/negative polarity, the polar magnetic field introduces angular momentum in the same/opposite direction as/to the solar rotation. Thus the addition/subtraction of angular momentum can increase/decrease the motion of plasma to support the formation of sunspots. Since the polarity reverses at the solar maximum, the opposite phenomenon occurs in the declining phase.« less

Energy Demand and Resources of Japan. Volume I

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-08-01

political motives. Economically Japan would prefer to develop alternative sources of petroleum which are politically stable and geologically viable...situation in the next decade. History records, therefore, Jhat Japan did not suddenly burst upon the scene as an advanced technology, highly competitive...cov- ering cooperative offshore exploration and eventual pro- duction in southern Kalimantan and northern Sumatra. Japex-Indonesian Limited, for

Education Policy Outlook: Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miki, Tadakazu; Pont, Beatriz; Figueroa, Diana Toledo; Peterka, Judith; Fraccola, Sylvain

2015-01-01

This policy profile on education in Japan is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectorial policy knowledge base, the…

SOLAR-ISS: A new reference spectrum based on SOLAR/SOLSPEC observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meftah, M.; Damé, L.; Bolsée, D.; Hauchecorne, A.; Pereira, N.; Sluse, D.; Cessateur, G.; Irbah, A.; Bureau, J.; Weber, M.; Bramstedt, K.; Hilbig, T.; Thiéblemont, R.; Marchand, M.; Lefèvre, F.; Sarkissian, A.; Bekki, S.

2018-03-01

Context. Since April 5, 2008 and up to February 15, 2017, the SOLar SPECtrometer (SOLSPEC) instrument of the SOLAR payload on board the International Space Station (ISS) has performed accurate measurements of solar spectral irradiance (SSI) from the middle ultraviolet to the infrared (165 to 3088 nm). These measurements are of primary importance for a better understanding of solar physics and the impact of solar variability on climate. In particular, a new reference solar spectrum (SOLAR-ISS) is established in April 2008 during the solar minima of cycles 23-24 thanks to revised engineering corrections, improved calibrations, and advanced procedures to account for thermal and aging corrections of the SOLAR/SOLSPEC instrument. Aims: The main objective of this article is to present a new high-resolution solar spectrum with a mean absolute uncertainty of 1.26% at 1σ from 165 to 3000 nm. This solar spectrum is based on solar observations of the SOLAR/SOLSPEC space-based instrument. Methods: The SOLAR/SOLSPEC instrument consists of three separate double monochromators that use concave holographic gratings to cover the middle ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), and infrared (IR) domains. Our best ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectra are merged into a single absolute solar spectrum covering the 165-3000 nm domain. The resulting solar spectrum has a spectral resolution varying between 0.6 and 9.5 nm in the 165-3000 nm wavelength range. We build a new solar reference spectrum (SOLAR-ISS) by constraining existing high-resolution spectra to SOLAR/SOLSPEC observed spectrum. For that purpose, we account for the difference of resolution between the two spectra using the SOLAR/SOLSPEC instrumental slit functions. Results: Using SOLAR/SOLSPEC data, a new solar spectrum covering the 165-3000 nm wavelength range is built and is representative of the 2008 solar minimum. It has a resolution better than 0.1 nm below 1000 nm and 1 nm in the 1000-3000 nm wavelength range. The new

Japan-Specific Key Regulatory Aspects for Development of New Biopharmaceutical Drug Products.

PubMed

Desai, Kashappa Goud; Obayashi, Hirokazu; Colandene, James D; Nesta, Douglas P

2018-03-28

Japan represents the third largest pharmaceutical market in the world. Developing a new biopharmaceutical drug product for the Japanese market is a top business priority for global pharmaceutical companies while aligning with ethical drivers to treat more patients in need. Understanding Japan-specific key regulatory requirements is essential to achieve successful approvals. Understanding the full context of Japan-specific regulatory requirements/expectations is challenging to global pharmaceutical companies due to differences in language and culture. This article summarizes key Japan-specific regulatory aspects/requirements/expectations applicable to new drug development, approval, and postapproval phases. Formulation excipients should meet Japan compendial requirements with respect to the type of excipient, excipient grade, and excipient concentration. Preclinical safety assessments needed to support clinical phases I, II, and III development are summarized. Japanese regulatory authorities have taken appropriate steps to consider foreign clinical data, thereby enabling accelerated drug development and approval in Japan. Other important topics summarized in this article include: Japan new drug application-specific bracketing strategies for critical and noncritical aspects of the manufacturing process, regulatory requirements related to stability studies, release specifications and testing methods, standard processes involved in pre and postapproval inspections, management of postapproval changes, and Japan regulatory authority's consultation services available to global pharmaceutical companies. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar Radiation and Cloud Radiative Forcing in the Pacific Warm Pool Estimated Using TOGA COARE Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Ming-Dah; Chou, Shu-Hsien; Zhao, Wenzhong

1999-01-01

The energy budget of the tropical western Pacific (TWP) is particularly important because this is one of the most energetic convection regions on the Earth. Nearly half of the solar radiation incident at the top of atmosphere is absorbed at the surface and only about 22% absorbed in the atmosphere. A large portion of the excess heat absorbed at the surface is transferred to the atmosphere through evaporation, which provides energy and water for convection and precipitation. The western equatorial Pacific is characterized by the highest sea surface temperature (SST) and heaviest rainfall in the world ocean. A small variation of SST associated with the eastward shift of the warm pool during El-Nino/Souther Oscillation changes the atmospheric circulation pattern and affects the global climate. In a study of the TWP surface heat and momentum fluxes during the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) Intensive observing period (IOP) from November 1992 to February have found that the solar radiation is the most important component of the surface energy budget, which undergoes significant temporal and spatial variation. The variations are influenced by the two 40-50 days Madden Julian Oscillations (MJOs) which propagated eastward from the Indian Ocean to the Central Pacific during the IOP. The TWP surface solar radiation during the COARE IOP was investigated by a number of studies. In addition, the effects of clouds on the solar heating of the atmosphere in the TWP was studied using energy budget analysis. In this study, we present some results of the TWP surface solar shortwave or SW radiation budget and the effect of clouds on the atmospheric solar heating using the surface radiation measurements and Japan's Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 4 radiance measurements during COARE IOP.

Risk model of valve surgery in Japan using the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database.

PubMed

Motomura, Noboru; Miyata, Hiroaki; Tsukihara, Hiroyuki; Takamoto, Shinichi

2010-11-01

Risk models of cardiac valve surgery using a large database are useful for improving surgical quality. In order to obtain accurate, high-quality assessments of surgical outcome, each geographic area should maintain its own database. The study aim was to collect Japanese data and to prepare a risk stratification of cardiac valve procedures, using the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database (JACVSD). A total of 6562 valve procedure records from 97 participating sites throughout Japan was analyzed, using a data entry form with 255 variables that was sent to the JACVSD office from a web-based data collection system. The statistical model was constructed using multiple logistic regression. Model discrimination was tested using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (C-index). The model calibration was tested using the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test. Among 6562 operated cases, 15% had diabetes mellitus, 5% were urgent, and 12% involved preoperative renal failure. The observed 30-day and operative mortality rates were 2.9% and 4.0%, respectively. Significant variables with high odds ratios included emergent or salvage status (3.83), reoperation (3.43), and left ventricular dysfunction (3.01). The H-L test and C-index values for 30-day mortality were satisfactory (0.44 and 0.80, respectively). The results obtained in Japan were at least as good as those reported elsewhere. The performance of this risk model also matched that of the STS National Adult Cardiac Database and the European Society Database.

Features of standardized nursing terminology sets in Japan.

PubMed

Sagara, Kaoru; Abe, Akinori; Ozaku, Hiromi Itoh; Kuwahara, Noriaki; Kogure, Kiyoshi

2006-01-01

This paper reports the features and relationships between standardizes nursing terminology sets used in Japan. First, we analyzed the common parts in five standardized nursing terminology sets: the Japan Nursing Practice Standard Master (JNPSM) that includes the names of nursing activities and is built by the Medical Information Center Development Center (MEDIS-DC); the labels of the Japan Classification of Nursing Practice (JCNP), built by the term advisory committee in the Japan Academy of Nursing Science; the labels of the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) translated to Japanese; the labels, domain names, and class names of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) Nursing Diagnoses 2003-2004 translated to Japanese; and the terms included in the labels of Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) translated to Japanese. Then we compared them with terms in a thesaurus dictionary, the Bunrui Goihyo, that contains general Japanese words and is built by the National Institute for Japanese Language. 1) the level of interchangeability between four standardized nursing terminology sets is quite low; 2) abbreviations and katakana words are frequently used to express nursing activities; 3) general Japanese words are usually used to express the status or situation of patients.

Nanostructured Solar Cells.

PubMed

Chen, Guanying; Ning, Zhijun; Ågren, Hans

2016-08-09

We are glad to announce the Special Issue "Nanostructured Solar Cells", published in Nanomaterials. This issue consists of eight articles, two communications, and one review paper, covering major important aspects of nanostructured solar cells of varying types. From fundamental physicochemical investigations to technological advances, and from single junction solar cells (silicon solar cell, dye sensitized solar cell, quantum dots sensitized solar cell, and small molecule organic solar cell) to tandem multi-junction solar cells, all aspects are included and discussed in this issue to advance the use of nanotechnology to improve the performance of solar cells with reduced fabrication costs.

Employment in Contemporary Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillon, Ken; And Others

This paper presents guidelines and suggestions for non-Japanese English-as-a-Second-Language teachers seeking employment in Japan. The first section outlines the educational qualifications needed to teach in language schools, secondary schools, and higher education institutions, and notes common employment patterns and the timing required to make…

Political Corruption in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Steven R.; And Others

1996-01-01

Provides an overview of political corruption and its place in Japanese culture and society. Discusses recent scandals and efforts at political reform. These efforts are moving Japan from a "boss-patronage" system to a "civic-culture." Includes a table of post-war Japanese prime ministers and corruption scandals. (MJP)

Solar Sailing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Les

2009-01-01

Solar sailing is a topic of growing technical and popular interest. Solar sail propulsion will make space exploration more affordable and offer access to destinations within (and beyond) the solar system that are currently beyond our technical reach. The lecture will describe solar sails, how they work, and what they will be used for in the exploration of space. It will include a discussion of current plans for solar sails and how advanced technology, such as nanotechnology, might enhance their performance. Much has been accomplished recently to make solar sail technology very close to becoming an engineering reality and it will soon be used by the world s space agencies in the exploration of the solar system and beyond. The first part of the lecture will summarize state-of-the-art space propulsion systems and technologies. Though these other technologies are the key to any deep space exploration by humans, robots, or both, solar-sail propulsion will make space exploration more affordable and offer access to distant and difficult destinations. The second part of the lecture will describe the fundamentals of space solar sail propulsion and will describe the near-, mid- and far-term missions that might use solar sails as a propulsion system. The third part of the lecture will describe solar sail technology and the construction of current and future sailcraft, including the work of both government and private space organizations.

Current trends in rehabilitation engineering in Japan.

PubMed

Ohnabe, Hisaichi

2006-01-01

In 2005, the elderly generation comprised 20% of the Japanese population. This percentage will grow to approximately 30% in 2030, meaning that nearly one in three people in Japan will be 65 years of age or older. Japan is the first nation in the world to face this situation. This article uses the context of Japanese society to give an overview of the elderly and people with disabilities; the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health model; rehabilitation engineering-related policy; and education. In addition, we examine how governmental programs and Japanese law regarding technical aids may evolve by 2030. Partner robots, intelligent powered wheelchairs, nursing robots, and other technologies are introduced as examples of rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology. We also discuss the volunteer activities of the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of Japan (RESJA) in response to the Asian tsunami disaster and the achievements of a group of students from a Japanese senior high school of industry.

The Annual Cycle of the Japan Sea Throughflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kida, S.; Qiu, B.; Yang, J.; Lin, X.

2016-02-01

The mechanism responsible for the annual cycle of the flows through the straits of Japan Sea is investigated using a two-layer model. Japan Sea is one of the marginal sea located in the western North Pacific that is separated from the Pacific by the islands of Japan. Three narrow and shallow straits, the Tsushima, Tsugaru, and Soya Straits, connect this sea towards the Pacific Ocean and Okhotsk Sea and observations show that the flow through these three straits vary annually with a maximum transport in summer-fall and a minimum transport in winter. The variability is large for Soya (north) and Tsushima (south) Straits but weak for the Tsugaru Strait (middle). We find the subpolar winds located to the north of Soya Strait to be the primary forcing agent of this annual cycle rather than the subtropical winds located to the east of Japan. The subpolar winds generate baroclinic Kelvin waves that perturb the sea surface height at the Soya Strait, cause barotropic adjustment to occur within the Japan Sea, and change the flow at the other straits. The shallow topography at the straits plays an important role. This mechanism explains why the annual cycle at the three straits occur almost synchronously. We also find the around-island integral constraint a useful tool for explaining how the magnitude of the annual cycle at the three straits are controlled. The theorem show the magnitude and direction of the flow controlled largely by the ratio of the meridional length of the two islands that is bounded by the three straits..

Review of mental-health-related stigma in Japan.

PubMed

Ando, Shuntaro; Yamaguchi, Sosei; Aoki, Yuta; Thornicroft, Graham

2013-11-01

The aim of this study is to understand the nature and characteristics of mental-health-related stigma among Japanese people. We searched relevant studies in English or Japanese published since 2001 using MEDLINE and PsycINFO, and found 19 studies that examined mental-health-related stigma in Japan. Regarding knowledge about mental illness, reviewed studies showed that in the Japanese general population, few people think that people can recover from mental disorders. Psychosocial factors, including weakness of personality, are often considered the cause of mental illness, rather than biological factors. In addition, the majority of the general public in Japan keep a greater social distance from individuals with mental illness, especially in close personal relationships. Schizophrenia is more stigmatized than depression, and its severity increases the stigmatizing attitude toward mental illness. The literature also showed an association between more direct social contact between health professionals and individuals with mental illness and less stigmatization by these professionals. Less stigmatization by mental health professionals may be associated with accumulation of clinical experience and daily contact with people who have mental illness. Stigmatizing attitudes in Japan are stronger than in Taiwan or Australia, possibly due to institutionalism, lack of national campaigns to tackle stigma, and/or society's valuing of conformity in Japan. Although educational programs appear to be effective in reducing mental-health-related stigma, future programs in Japan need to address problems regarding institutionalism and offer direct social contact with people with mental illness. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Japan's Democracy: How Much Change? Headline Series No. 305.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krauss, Ellis S.

This booklet analyzes the changes that have occurred in Japan in the postwar period. The book is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1, "Revolutionary Change: American Occupation, 1945-52," focuses on the dramatic changes brought by Occupation forces. Chapter 2, "Evolutionary Change: Japan's Democracy from the Occupation through the…

Career Education in Japan: Its Current Status and Condition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senzaki, Takeshi

1993-01-01

Presents framework of changing status of career education in Japan, describing history of career education in that country. Includes chronology of career education in Japan since 1960. Notes that, in future, Japanese career education and guidance programs must bridge gaps between academics and employment, education and occupations, school and…

Koreans in Japan: Their Influence on Korean-Japanese Relations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-01

1963. 31. The Republic of Korea National Red Cross, The Dispersed Families in Korea, Seoul, 1977. 32. Sato , Shoki, Koreans in Japan - The...1975. 34. Sumiya, Mikio , Kankoku no Keizai (The Korean Economy), Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo, Japan, 1974. 35. U.S. Government Printing Office, U.S. Army Area

Calibration of the Solar Orbiter Energetic Particle Detector Suite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.; Rodriguez-Pacheco, J.; Martin-Garcia, C.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Panitzsch, L.; Boettcher, S.; Mason, G. M.; Kohler, J.; Ho, G. C.; Boden, S.; Grunau, J.; Steinhagen, J.; Terasa, C.; Yu, J.; Prieto, M.; Gomez-Herrero, R.; Blanco, J.

2013-12-01

We present the current status and plans for the calibration of the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) suite on ESA's Solar Orbiter mission. Solar Orbiter is scheduled to launch in January 2017, instrument delivery in January 2015. EPD consists of four sensors: the SupraThermal Electron and Proton (STEP) sensor covers electrons (protons) from 2 (3) keV up to 100 keV, the Electron Proton Telescope (EPT) from 20 to 300 (7000) keV, the Suprathermal Ion Spectrograph (SIS) determines the ionic composition from ~0.05 to ~10 MeV/nuc (species dependent), and the High Energy Telescope (HET) measures electrons and protons (ions) from 0.3 to 30 and 10 to >100 MeV/nuc (20 - 200 MeV/nuc species dependent). EPT, HET, and SIS have two approximately opposite-facing fields of view, EPT, and HET share a common electronics box, two EPT/HET sensors allow the determination of second-order anisotropies (a total of 4 FoVs). Apart from the use of radioactive sources, STEP will be calibrated at the Kiel calibration facilities, EPT both at Kiel (electrons and low-energy protons) as well as at PTB in Braunschweig. SIS will undergo calibration at the LBL 88' cyclotron, HET at HIMAC in Chiba, Japan. Tests of the electron/protons discrimination of EPT show the expected behavior, HET prototypes have already been calibrated and the results will be shown.

Preliminary design package for solar collector and solar pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

A solar-operated pump using an existing solar collector, for use on solar heating and cooling and hot water systems is described. Preliminary design criteria of the collector and solar-powered pump is given including: design drawings, verification plans, and hazard analysis.

Suicide prevention strategies in Japan: a 15-year review (1998-2013).

PubMed

Takeshima, Tadashi; Yamauchi, Takashi; Inagaki, Masatoshi; Kodaka, Manami; Matsumoto, Toshihiko; Kawano, Kenji; Katsumata, Yotaro; Fujimori, Maiko; Hisanaga, Ayaka; Takahashi, Yoshitomo

2015-02-01

Suicide is a global public health problem and solutions to it can be found only through a global dialog. The suicide rate in Japan has been alarming, but Japan has made substantial efforts to reduce this rate, making prevention a high priority. This report reviews the developmental stages of a comprehensive policy of suicide prevention in Japan from 1998 to 2013. Our review suggests that suicide prevention activities were facilitated by the 2006 Basic Act for Suicide Prevention and the 2007 General Principles of Suicide Prevention Policy. Along with the establishment of a Special Fund program for local governments, the Basic Act and General Principles led to the development of a comprehensive and multi-sector approach to suicide prevention. Suicide rates in Japan, especially among middle-aged men, decreased consistently after 2009, suggesting that the initiatives were effective. Continuous monitoring is needed to evaluate Japan's suicide prevention policy.

Using the Solar Polar Magnetic Field for Longterm Predictions of Solar Activity, Solar Cycles 21-25

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pesnell, W. D.; Schatten, K. H.

2017-12-01

We briefly review the dynamo and geomagnetic precursor methods of long-term solar activity forecasting. These methods depend upon the most basic aspect of dynamo theory to predict future activity, future magnetic field arises directly from the amplification of pre-existing magnetic field. We then generalize the dynamo technique, allowing the method to be used at any phase of the solar cycle, to the Solar Dynamo Amplitude (SODA) index. This index is sensitive to the magnetic flux trapped within the Sun's convection zone but insensitive to the phase of the solar cycle. Since magnetic fields inside the Sun can become buoyant, one may think of the acronym SODA as describing the amount of buoyant flux. We will show how effective the SODA Index has been in predicting Solar Cycles 23 and 24, and present a unified picture of earlier estimates of the polar magnetic configuration in Solar Cycle 21 and 22. Using the present value of the SODA index, we estimate that the next cycle's smoothed peak activity will be about 125 ± 30 solar flux units for the 10.7 cm radio flux and a sunspot number of 70 ± 25. This suggests that Solar Cycle 25 will be comparable to Solar Cycle 24. Since the current approach uses data prior to solar minimum, these estimates may improve when the upcoming solar minimum is reached.

Liver transplantation in Japan.

PubMed

Soyama, Akihiko; Eguchi, Susumu; Egawa, Hiroto

2016-10-01

As of December 31, 2014, 7937 liver transplants (7673 living donor transplants and 264 deceased donor liver transplantations [DDLTs; 261 from heart-beating donors and 3 from non-heart-beating donors]) have been performed in 67 institutions in Japan. The revised Organ Transplant Law in Japan came into effect in July 2010, which allows organ procurement from brain-dead individuals, including children, with family consent if the patient had not previously refused organ donation. However, the number of deceased donor organ donations has not increased as anticipated. The rate of deceased organ donations per million population (pmp) has remained at less than 1. To maximize the viability of the limited numbers of donated organs, a system has been adopted that includes the partnership of well-trained transplant consultant doctors and local doctors. For compensating for the decreased opportunity of on-site training, an educational system regarding quality organ procurement for transplant surgeons has also been established. Furthermore, experts in the field of liver transplantation are currently discussing adoption of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score for allocation, promoting split-liver transplantation, arranging in-house coordinators, and improving the frequency of proposing the option to donate organs to the families. To overcome the shortage of donors during efforts to promote organ donation, living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been developed in Japan. Continuous efforts to increase DDLT in addition to the successful experience of LDLT will increase the benefits of liver transplantation for more patients. Liver Transplantation 22 1401-1407 2016 AASLD. © 2016 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Historical Change of Equilibrium Water Temperature in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyamoto, H.

2015-12-01

Changes in freshwater ecosystems due to a climate change have been great concern for sustainable river basin management both for water resources utilization and ecological conservation. However, their impact seems to be difficult to evaluate because of wide variety of basin characteristics along a river network both in nature and social environment. This presentation uses equilibrium water temperature as a simple criterion index for evaluating the long-term changes of stream thermal environment due to the historical climate change in Japan. It examines, at first, the relationship between the equilibrium water temperature and the stream temperature observed for 7 years at a lower reach in the Ibo River, Japan. It analyzes, then, the seasonal and regional trends of the equilibrium water temperature change for the last 50 years at 133 meteorological station sites throughout Japan, discussing their rising or falling characteristics. The correlation analysis at the local reach of the Ibo River shows that the equilibrium water temperature has similar trend of change as the stream temperature. However, its value tends to be higher than the stream temperature in summer, while lower in winter. The onset of the higher equilibrium water temperature fluctuates annually from mid February to early April. This onset fluctuation at each spring could be influenced by the different amount of snow at the antecedent winter. The rising or falling trends of the equilibrium water temperature are analyzed both annually and seasonally through the regression analysis of the 133 sites in Japan. Consequently, the trends of the temperature change could be categorized by 12 patterns. As for the seasonal analysis, the results shows that there are many sites indicating the falling trend in spring and summer, and rising trends in autumn and winter. In particular, winter has the strong rising tendency throughout Japan. As for the regional analysis, the result illustrates the precise rationality; e

Current Indoor Air Quality in Japan.

PubMed

Jinno, Hideto

2016-01-01

People spend more than two thirds of their daily time indoors. Hence, maintaining a healthy indoor environment is indispensable for the prevention of building related illness. In Japan, guidelines for indoor air quality have been established for 13 volatile/semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs/SVOCs). These guidelines are now under revision by the Committee on Sick House Syndrome: Indoor Air Pollution. In order to gain information on the current indoor air pollutants and their levels, we carried out a nation-wide survey of VOCs and aldehydes in indoor residential air during 2012-2013. In this review, I concisely summarized the current indoor air quality of Japan.

Solar Collectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Solar Energy's solar panels are collectors for a solar energy system which provides heating for a drive-in bank in Akron, OH. Collectors were designed and manufactured by Solar Energy Products, a firm established by three former NASA employees. Company President, Frank Rom, an example of a personnel-type technology transfer, was a Research Director at Lewis Research Center, which conducts extensive solar heating and cooling research, including development and testing of high-efficiency flat-plate collectors. Rom acquired solar energy expertise which helped the company develop two types of collectors, one for use in domestic/commercial heating systems and the other for drying grain.

Solar Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, William W.

Presented is the utilization of solar radiation as an energy resource principally for the production of electricity. Included are discussions of solar thermal conversion, photovoltic conversion, wind energy, and energy from ocean temperature differences. Future solar energy plans, the role of solar energy in plant and fossil fuel production, and…

Solar Energy Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1984-01-01

Calibrated in kilowatt hours per square meter, the solar counter produced by Dodge Products, Inc. provides a numerical count of the solar energy that has accumulated on a surface. Solar energy sensing, measuring and recording devices in corporate solar cell technology developed by Lewis Research Center. Customers for their various devices include architects, engineers and others engaged in construction and operation of solar energy facilities; manufacturers of solar systems or solar related products, such as glare reducing windows; and solar energy planners in federal and state government agencies.

Evaluating renewable natural resources flow and net primary productivity with a GIS-Emergy approach: A case study of Hokkaido, Japan.

PubMed

Wang, Chengdong; Zhang, Shenyan; Yan, Wanglin; Wang, Renqing; Liu, Jian; Wang, Yutao

2016-11-18

Renewable natural resources, such as solar radiation, rainfall, wind, and geothermal heat, together with ecosystem services, provide the elementary supports for the sustainable development of human society. To improve regional sustainability, we studied the spatial distributions and quantities of renewable natural resources and net primary productivity (NPP) in Hokkaido, which is the second largest island of Japan. With the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) software, distribution maps for each type of renewable natural resource were generated by kriging interpolation based on statistical records. A composite map of the flow of all types of renewable natural resources was also generated by map layer overlapping. Additionally, we utilized emergy analysis to convert each renewable flow with different attributes into a unified unit (i.e., solar equivalent joules [sej]). As a result, the spatial distributions of the flow of renewable natural resources of the Hokkaido region are presented in the form of thematic emergy maps. Thus, the areas with higher renewable emergy can be easily visualized and identified. The dominant renewable flow in certain areas can also be directly distinguished. The results can provide useful information for regional sustainable development, environmental conservation and ecological management.

Evaluating renewable natural resources flow and net primary productivity with a GIS-Emergy approach: A case study of Hokkaido, Japan

PubMed Central

Wang, Chengdong; Zhang, Shenyan; Yan, Wanglin; Wang, Renqing; Liu, Jian; Wang, Yutao

2016-01-01

Renewable natural resources, such as solar radiation, rainfall, wind, and geothermal heat, together with ecosystem services, provide the elementary supports for the sustainable development of human society. To improve regional sustainability, we studied the spatial distributions and quantities of renewable natural resources and net primary productivity (NPP) in Hokkaido, which is the second largest island of Japan. With the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) software, distribution maps for each type of renewable natural resource were generated by kriging interpolation based on statistical records. A composite map of the flow of all types of renewable natural resources was also generated by map layer overlapping. Additionally, we utilized emergy analysis to convert each renewable flow with different attributes into a unified unit (i.e., solar equivalent joules [sej]). As a result, the spatial distributions of the flow of renewable natural resources of the Hokkaido region are presented in the form of thematic emergy maps. Thus, the areas with higher renewable emergy can be easily visualized and identified. The dominant renewable flow in certain areas can also be directly distinguished. The results can provide useful information for regional sustainable development, environmental conservation and ecological management. PMID:27857230

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Kathu Solar Park | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

): Eskom Plant Configuration Solar Field Heat-Transfer Fluid Type: Thermal oil Solar-Field Inlet Temp: 293Â (Net): 100.0 MW Output Type: Steam Rankine Thermal Storage Storage Type: 2-tank indirect Storage Capacity: 4.5 hours Thermal Storage Description: Molten salt

Attitudes toward the Homeless: A U.S.-Japan Comparison.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzewicz, Tony D.; Takooshian, Harold

1993-01-01

Compares attitudes toward the homeless in Japan and the United States through a survey of 268 Japanese and 254 U.S. adults and adolescents interviewed in public places. In Japan, homelessness is seldom discussed, and poverty, which may be as widespread as in the United States, is often not recognized. (SLD)

Japan's Teacher Acculturation: Critical Analysis through Comparative Ethnographic Narrative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howe, Edward R.

2005-01-01

Cross-cultural teaching and research in Canada and Japan is reported. Ethnographic narrative methods were used to examine Japan's teacher acculturation. Canada's teachers are largely required to work in isolation, to learn their practice through trial and error. There is little provision for mentorship and insufficient time to reflect. In…

Tokugawa Japan and Industrial Revolution Britain: Two Misunderstood Societies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellington, Lucien

2013-01-01

In this article, the author presents a truer picture than economic historians have previously had of the economies of Tokugawa Japan, and Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Though substantially different, both societies were prosperous compared to most of the rest of the world. Japan's economic success began in the Tokugawa period…

Recycling scheme for scrapped automobiles in Japan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suzuki, Masao; Nakajima, Akira; Taya, Sadao

Over 5 million cars are scrapped yearly in Japan. After dismantling scrapped automobiles, they are put into a shredder for differential recovery of ferrous and nonferrous metals. The residue, which is called shredder dust, runs over 1.2 million tons per year. This paper reports a entire sequence of scrapping cars in Japan with the following sections: (1) production and scrapped car management, (2) material composition, (3) dismantling, (4) shredder plant, (5) differential recovery of metals including specific gravity and newly developed color separation.

Qualification of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Solar Array Deployment System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawrence, Jon

1998-01-01

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) solar arrays are placed into orbital configuration by a complex deployment system. Its two wings each comprise twin seven square solar panels located by a twelve foot articulated boom. The four spring-driven hinge lines per wing are rate-limited by viscous dampers. The wings are stowed against the spacecraft kinematically, and released by five pyrotechnically-actuated mechanisms. Since deployment failure would be catastrophic, a total of 17 deployment tests were completed to qualify the system for the worst cast launch environment. This successful testing culminated in the flawless deployment of the solar arrays on orbit, 15 minutes after launch in November 1997. The custom gravity negation system used to perform deployment testing is modular to allow its setup in several locations, including the launch site in Japan. Both platform and height can be varied, to meet the requirements of the test configuration and the test facility. Its air pad floatation system meets tight packaging requirements, allowing installation while stowed against the spacecraft without breaking any flight interfaces, and avoiding interference during motion. This system was designed concurrently with the deployment system, to facilitate its installation, to aid in the integration of the flight system to the spacecraft, while demonstrating deployment capabilities. Critical parameters for successful testing were alignment of deployment axes and tables to gravity, alignment of table seams to minimize discontinuities, and minimizing pressure drops in the air supply system. Orbital performance was similar to that predicted by ground testing.

DIY Solar Market Analysis Webinar Series: Community Solar Scenario Tool |

Science.gov Websites

State, Local, and Tribal Governments | NREL Webinar Series: Community Solar Scenario Tool DIY Solar Market Analysis Webinar Series: Community Solar Scenario Tool Wednesday, August 13, 2014 As part ) presented a live webinar titled, "Community Solar Scenario Tool: Planning for a fruitful solar garden

Solar prediction analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Jesse B.

1992-01-01

Solar Activity prediction is essential to definition of orbital design and operational environments for space flight. This task provides the necessary research to better understand solar predictions being generated by the solar community and to develop improved solar prediction models. The contractor shall provide the necessary manpower and facilities to perform the following tasks: (1) review, evaluate, and assess the time evolution of the solar cycle to provide probable limits of solar cycle behavior near maximum end during the decline of solar cycle 22, and the forecasts being provided by the solar community and the techniques being used to generate these forecasts; and (2) develop and refine prediction techniques for short-term solar behavior flare prediction within solar active regions, with special emphasis on the correlation of magnetic shear with flare occurrence.

Variations of solar, interplanetary, and geomagnetic parameters with solar magnetic multipole fields during Solar Cycles 21-24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Bogyeong; Lee, Jeongwoo; Yi, Yu; Oh, Suyeon

2015-01-01

In this study we compare the temporal variations of the solar, interplanetary, and geomagnetic (SIG) parameters with that of open solar magnetic flux from 1976 to 2012 (from Solar Cycle 21 to the early phase of Cycle 24) for a purpose of identifying their possible relationships. By the open flux, we mean the average magnetic field over the source surface (2.5 solar radii) times the source area as defined by the potential field source surface (PFSS) model of the Wilcox Solar Observatory (WSO). In our result, most SIG parameters except the solar wind dynamic pressure show rather poor correlations with the open solar magnetic field. Good correlations are recovered when the contributions from individual multipole components are counted separately. As expected, solar activity indices such as sunspot number, total solar irradiance, 10.7 cm radio flux, and solar flare occurrence are highly correlated with the flux of magnetic quadrupole component. The dynamic pressure of solar wind is strongly correlated with the dipole flux, which is in anti-phase with Solar Cycle (SC). The geomagnetic activity represented by the Ap index is correlated with higher order multipole components, which show relatively a slow time variation with SC. We also found that the unusually low geomagnetic activity during SC 23 is accompanied by the weak open solar fields compared with those in other SCs. It is argued that such dependences of the SIG parameters on the individual multipole components of the open solar magnetic flux may clarify why some SIG parameters vary in phase with SC and others show seemingly delayed responses to SC variation.

Molecular engineering of sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell applications.

PubMed

Giribabu, Lingamallu; Kanaparthi, Ravi Kumar; Velkannan, Veerapandian

2012-06-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years as they offer the possibility of low-cost conversion of photovoltaic energy. This account focuses on recent advances in molecular design and technological aspects of sensitizers based on metal complexes, metal-free organics and tetrapyrrolic compounds which include porphyrins, phthalocyanines as well as corroles. Special attention has been paid to the design principles of these dyes, and co-sensitization, an emerging technique to extend the absorption range, is also discussed as a way to improve the performance of the device. This account also focuses on recent advances of efficient ruthenium sensitizers as well as other metal complexes and their applications in DSSCs. Recent developments in the area of metal-free organic and tetrapyrrolic sensitizers are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nanostructured Solar Irradiation Control Materials for Solar Energy Conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kang, Jinho; Marshall, I. A.; Torrico, M. N.; Taylor, C. R.; Ely, Jeffry; Henderson, Angel Z.; Kim, J.-W.; Sauti, G.; Gibbons, L. J.; Park, C.;

U.S. Military Aviation Mishaps In Japan and Okinawan Political Controversy

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

political controversy over U.S. bases in Japan, the American presence in the island country has proven its strategic advantages for the United States...CONTEMPORARY OKINAWAN HISTORY Located approximately 400 miles south of mainland Japan, Okinawa is the largest island in the Ryukyu Island chain. In the 17th...century, Okinawa served as tributary state to both China and Japan. Commerce brought additional influences to the island , helping to shape a

Political economy of tobacco control policy on public health in Japan.

PubMed

Desapriya, E B R; Iwase, Nobutada; Shimizu, Shinji

2003-02-01

Tobacco use, particularly smoking, remains the number one cause of preventable disease and mortality in Japan. This review of the tobacco control policy and public health is the first to offer a composite review of the subject within Japan. This review attempts to evaluate the most important aspects of the current political economy of the tobacco control policy, and concludes that more effective control policies must be employed to minimize the impact of smoking on the public's health in Japan. Further the article attempts to place the approaches in the larger context of tobacco control, providing a vision for the future of tobacco prevention and control based on current knowledge. Tobacco use will remain the leading cause of preventable illness and death in Japan, until tobacco prevention and control efforts are commensurate with the harm caused by tobacco. Taken together, the results of various studies have clearly shown that control measures can influence tobacco smoking patterns, and in turn, the rate of tobacco-related problems. Government tobacco taxes have not kept pace with inflation for years. Availability of tobacco is virtually unlimited with easy access and the prices being very low due to the strong currency of Japan. Thus Japan must be one of the most tobacco accessible countries. It is important to ensure that people are not conditioned to smoke tobacco by an unduly favourable economic and commercial environment. For that reason, prevention advocates have called for substantial regulation of tobacco products and appeal for both tobacco tax increases and tobacco taxes to be indexed to inflation. In this review, present tobacco related public health policies in Japan are discussed with implication for prevention of tobacco related problems. Continued research in this area will be necessary to determine the most effective policies of reducing tobacco related problems in Japan.

Solar cycle variations of the solar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crooker, N. U.

1983-01-01

Throughout the course of the past one and a half solar cycles, solar wind parameters measured near the ecliptic plane at 1 AU varied in the following way: speed and proton temperature have maxima during the declining phase and minima at solar minimum and are approximately anti-correlated with number density and electron temperature, while magnetic field magnitude and relative abundance of helium roughly follow the sunspot cycle. These variations are described in terms of the solar cycle variations of coronal holes, streamers, and transients. The solar wind signatures of the three features are discussed in turn, with special emphasis on the signature of transients, which is still in the process of being defined. It is proposed that magnetic clouds be identified with helium abundance enhancements and that they form the head of a transient surrounded by streamer like plasma, with an optional shock front. It is stressed that relative values of a parameter through a solar cycle should be compared beginning with the declining phase, especially in the case of magnetic field magnitude.

Solar 101 Webinar Series: Solar Technical Assistance Overview and

Science.gov Websites

Technical Assistance Overview and Applications Solar 101 Webinar Series: Solar Technical Assistance Overview and Applications Wednesday, March 5, 2014, 2-3 p.m. EST NREL's Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT ) presented a live webinar titled, "Solar Technical Assistance Overview and Applications." This

Photovoltaic solar concentrator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nielson, Gregory N.; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Okandan, Murat

A process including forming a photovoltaic solar cell on a substrate, the photovoltaic solar cell comprising an anchor positioned between the photovoltaic solar cell and the substrate to suspend the photovoltaic solar cell from the substrate. A surface of the photovoltaic solar cell opposite the substrate is attached to a receiving substrate. The receiving substrate may be bonded to the photovoltaic solar cell using an adhesive force or a metal connecting member. The photovoltaic solar cell is then detached from the substrate by lifting the receiving substrate having the photovoltaic solar cell attached thereto and severing the anchor connecting themore » photovoltaic solar cell to the substrate. Depending upon the type of receiving substrate used, the photovoltaic solar cell may be removed from the receiving substrate or remain on the receiving substrate for use in the final product.« less

Genetic differentiation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains from Korea and Japan.

PubMed

Soo Ko, Kwan; Peck, Kyong Ran; Sup Oh, Won; Lee, Nam Yong; Hiramatsu, Keiichi; Song, Jae-Hoon

2005-01-01

In this study, we evaluated genetic differentiation between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains from Korea and Japan. Seventy-five MRSA strains, including 25 h VISA strains, were analyzed by molecular typing methods, including multilocus sequence typing (MLST), SCC mec typing, and spa typing. The most prevalent genotype of MRSA strains, in both Korea and Japan, was ST 5-MRSA-II with the DMGMK spa motif, characteristic of the New York/Japan MRSA clone. In spite of these common features in MRSA strains from Korea and Japan, we also observed some genotypic divergence in MRSA from the two countries. Several spa types might be differentiated from a prevalent prototype (TJMBMDMGMK) that is shared by the two countries, revealing a unique geographic distribution. SCC mec type II lacking pUB110, designated type IIA, was found more frequently in Korea than in Japan. The rate of gentamicin resistance was also dramatically different between the two countries: 87.2% (Korea) vs. 28.6% (Japan). These preliminary findings suggested that MRSA strains from Korea and Japan might have originated from a common ancestor, but then clearly differentiated according to locality. A further comprehensive study should be performed to document the hypotheses from this study.

DIY Solar Market Analysis Webinar Series: Top Solar Tools | State, Local,

Science.gov Websites

and Tribal Governments | NREL DIY Solar Market Analysis Webinar Series: Top Solar Tools DIY Solar Market Analysis Webinar Series: Top Solar Tools Wednesday, May 14, 2014 As part of a Do-It -Yourself Solar Market Analysis summer series, NREL's Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT) presented a

Solar Adaptive Optics.

PubMed

Rimmele, Thomas R; Marino, Jose

Adaptive optics (AO) has become an indispensable tool at ground-based solar telescopes. AO enables the ground-based observer to overcome the adverse effects of atmospheric seeing and obtain diffraction limited observations. Over the last decade adaptive optics systems have been deployed at major ground-based solar telescopes and revitalized ground-based solar astronomy. The relatively small aperture of solar telescopes and the bright source make solar AO possible for visible wavelengths where the majority of solar observations are still performed. Solar AO systems enable diffraction limited observations of the Sun for a significant fraction of the available observing time at ground-based solar telescopes, which often have a larger aperture than equivalent space based observatories, such as HINODE. New ground breaking scientific results have been achieved with solar adaptive optics and this trend continues. New large aperture telescopes are currently being deployed or are under construction. With the aid of solar AO these telescopes will obtain observations of the highly structured and dynamic solar atmosphere with unprecedented resolution. This paper reviews solar adaptive optics techniques and summarizes the recent progress in the field of solar adaptive optics. An outlook to future solar AO developments, including a discussion of Multi-Conjugate AO (MCAO) and Ground-Layer AO (GLAO) will be given. Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.12942/lrsp-2011-2.

Solar Field Optical Characterization at Stillwater Geothermal/Solar Hybrid Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Guangdong; Turchi, Craig

Concentrating solar power (CSP) can provide additional thermal energy to boost geothermal plant power generation. For a newly constructed solar field at a geothermal power plant site, it is critical to properly characterize its performance so that the prediction of thermal power generation can be derived to develop an optimum operating strategy for a hybrid system. In the past, laboratory characterization of a solar collector has often extended into the solar field performance model and has been used to predict the actual solar field performance, disregarding realistic impacting factors. In this work, an extensive measurement on mirror slope error andmore » receiver position error has been performed in the field by using the optical characterization tool called Distant Observer (DO). Combining a solar reflectance sampling procedure, a newly developed solar characterization program called FirstOPTIC and public software for annual performance modeling called System Advisor Model (SAM), a comprehensive solar field optical characterization has been conducted, thus allowing for an informed prediction of solar field annual performance. The paper illustrates this detailed solar field optical characterization procedure and demonstrates how the results help to quantify an appropriate tracking-correction strategy to improve solar field performance. In particular, it is found that an appropriate tracking-offset algorithm can improve the solar field performance by about 15%. The work here provides a valuable reference for the growing CSP industry.« less

Solar Field Optical Characterization at Stillwater Geothermal/Solar Hybrid Plant

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Guangdong; Turchi, Craig

2017-01-27

Concentrating solar power (CSP) can provide additional thermal energy to boost geothermal plant power generation. For a newly constructed solar field at a geothermal power plant site, it is critical to properly characterize its performance so that the prediction of thermal power generation can be derived to develop an optimum operating strategy for a hybrid system. In the past, laboratory characterization of a solar collector has often extended into the solar field performance model and has been used to predict the actual solar field performance, disregarding realistic impacting factors. In this work, an extensive measurement on mirror slope error andmore » receiver position error has been performed in the field by using the optical characterization tool called Distant Observer (DO). Combining a solar reflectance sampling procedure, a newly developed solar characterization program called FirstOPTIC and public software for annual performance modeling called System Advisor Model (SAM), a comprehensive solar field optical characterization has been conducted, thus allowing for an informed prediction of solar field annual performance. The paper illustrates this detailed solar field optical characterization procedure and demonstrates how the results help to quantify an appropriate tracking-correction strategy to improve solar field performance. In particular, it is found that an appropriate tracking-offset algorithm can improve the solar field performance by about 15%. The work here provides a valuable reference for the growing CSP industry.« less

PREFACE: India-Japan Workshop on Biomolecular Electronics & Organic Nanotechnology for Environment Preservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onoda, Mitsuyoshi; Malhotra, Bansi D.

2012-04-01

The 'India-Japan Workshop on Biomolecular Electronics & Organic Nanotechnology for Environment Preservation' (IJWBME 2011) will be held on 7-10 December 2011 at EGRET Himeji, Himeji, Hyogo, Japan. This workshop was held for the first time on 17-19 December 2009 at NPL, New Delhi. Keeping in mind the importance of organic nanotechnology and biomolecular electronics for environmental preservation and their anticipated impact on the economics of both the developing and the developed world, IJWBME 2009 was jointly organized by the Department of Biological Functions, Graduate School of Life Sciences and Systems Engineering, the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT), Kitakyushu, Japan, and the Department of Science & Technology Centre on Biomolecular Electronics (DSTCBE), National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Much progress in the field of biomolecular electronics and organic nanotechnology for environmental preservation is expected for the 21st Century. Organic optoelectronic devices, such as organic electroluminescent devices, organic thin-film transistors, organic sensors, biological systems and so on have especially attracted much attention. The main purpose of this workshop is to provide an opportunity for researchers interested in biomolecular electronics and organic nanotechnology for environmental preservation, to come together in an informal and friendly atmosphere and exchange technical knowledge and experience. We are sure that this workshop will be very useful and fruitful for all participants in summarizing the recent progress in biomolecular electronics and organic nanotechnology for environmental preservation and preparing new ground for the next generation. Many papers have been submitted from India and Japan and more than 30 papers have been accepted for presentation. The main topics of interest are as follows: Bioelectronics Biomolecular Electronics Fabrication Techniques Self-assembled Monolayers Nano-sensors Environmental Monitoring Organic Devices

Digital Technology at the National Science Museum of Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lydens, Lois; Saito, Yasuji; Inoue, Tohru

2007-01-01

The National Science Museum (NSM) in Japan has recently completed a project using different types of visitor-oriented digital technologies. With sponsorship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the NSM team carried out a four-year study to examine how digital technologies can be used to enhance as well as educationally…

Ethics Education for Professionals in Japan: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maruyama, Yasushi; Ueno, Tetsu

2010-01-01

Ethics education for professionals has become popular in Japan over the last two decades. Many professional schools now require students to take an applied ethics or professional ethics course. In contrast, very few courses of professional ethics for teaching exist or have been taught in Japan. In order to obtain suggestions for teacher education,…

Ideas for Integrating Japan into the Curriculum. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wojtan, Linda S.

This ERIC Digest discusses how, by studying Japan, the larger context of the Asia-Pacific region can be explored and students can be introduced to current realities. The top 5 competitive countries for 1994 were the United States, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Germany. Because of the increasing interdependence between the United States and…

Textbook Development and Selection in Japan and the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tani, Masaru; And Others

1993-01-01

Reports on a study trip by 13 U.S. social studies educators and publishers to Japan. Compares development, marketing, and selection of textbooks in the United States and Japan. Concludes that both nations should improve textbooks and textbook selection processes. (CFR)

Current status of pregnancy-related maternal mortality in Japan: a report from the Maternal Death Exploratory Committee in Japan.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Junichi; Sekizawa, Akihiko; Tanaka, Hiroaki; Katsuragi, Shinji; Osato, Kazuhiro; Murakoshi, Takeshi; Nakata, Masahiko; Nakamura, Masamitsu; Yoshimatsu, Jun; Sadahiro, Tomohito; Kanayama, Naohiro; Ishiwata, Isamu; Kinoshita, Katsuyuki; Ikeda, Tomoaki

2016-03-21

To clarify the problems related to maternal deaths in Japan, including the diseases themselves, causes, treatments and the hospital or regional systems. Descriptive study. Maternal death registration system established by the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (JAOG). Women who died during pregnancy or within a year after delivery, from 2010 to 2014, throughout Japan (N=213). The preventability and problems in each maternal death. Maternal deaths were frequently caused by obstetric haemorrhage (23%), brain disease (16%), amniotic fluid embolism (12%), cardiovascular disease (8%) and pulmonary disease (8%). The Committee considered that it was impossible to prevent death in 51% of the cases, whereas they considered prevention in 26%, 15% and 7% of the cases to be slightly, moderately and highly possible, respectively. It was difficult to prevent maternal deaths due to amniotic fluid embolism and brain disease. In contrast, half of the deaths due to obstetric haemorrhage were considered preventable, because the peak duration between the initial symptoms and initial cardiopulmonary arrest was 1-3 h. A range of measures, including individual education and the construction of good relationships among regional hospitals, should be established in the near future, to improve primary care for patients with maternal haemorrhage and to save the lives of mothers in Japan. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Enemies into Allies: American Stability Operations and the Transformation of Japan 1945-1952

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-19

on Japanese forces in Manchuria finally shattered the last hopes of Emperor Hirohito and Japan’s governmental leadership.7 Jun Eto suggested that...of Modern Japan (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), 511. 8 Jun Eto , A Nation Reborn – A Short History of Postwar Japan (Tokyo: International...Modern Japan, trans. Mikiso Hane and John K . Urda (New York: Free Press, 1995), 39. First- 17 Brian J. McVeigh, Nationalisms of Japan – Managing and

IPS Space Weather Research: Korea-Japan-UCSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-27

SUBJECT TERMS Solar Physics , Solar Wind, interplanetary scintillation 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18. NUMBER...Institution : Center for Astrophysics and space science (CASS), University of California, San Diego (UCSD) - Mailing Address : 9500 Gilman Dr. #0424...the physical parameters like solar wind velocities and densities. This is the one of the unique way to observer the solar wind from the earth. The

Big mantle wedge, anisotropy, slabs and earthquakes beneath the Japan Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Dapeng

2017-09-01

The Japan Sea is a part of the western Pacific trench-arc-backarc system and has a complex bathymetry and intense seismic activities in the crust and upper mantle. Local seismic tomography revealed strong lateral heterogeneities in the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the eastern margin of the Japan Sea, which was determined using P and S wave arrival times of suboceanic earthquakes relocated precisely with sP depth phases. Ambient-noise tomography revealed a thin crust and a thin lithosphere beneath the Japan Sea and significant low-velocity (low-V) anomalies in the shallow mantle beneath the western and eastern margins of the Japan Sea. Observations with ocean-bottom seismometers and electromagnetometers revealed low-V and high-conductivity anomalies at depths of 200-300 km in the big mantle wedge (BMW) above the subducting Pacific slab, and the anomalies are connected with the low-V zone in the normal mantle wedge beneath NE Japan, suggesting that both shallow and deep slab dehydrations occur and contribute to the arc and back-arc magmatism. The Pacific slab has a simple geometry beneath the Japan Sea, and earthquakes occur actively in the slab down to a depth of ∼600 km beneath the NE Asian margin. Teleseismic P and S wave tomography has revealed that the Philippine Sea plate has subducted aseismically down to the mantle transition zone (MTZ, 410-660 km) depths beneath the southern Japan Sea and the Tsushima Strait, and a slab window is revealed within the aseismic Philippine Sea slab. Seismic anisotropy tomography revealed a NW-SE fast-velocity direction in the BMW, which reflects corner flows induced by the fast deep subduction of the Pacific slab. Large deep earthquakes (M > 7.0; depth > 500 km) occur frequently beneath the Japan Sea western margin, which may be related to the formation of the Changbai and Ulleung intraplate volcanoes. A metastable olivine wedge is revealed within the cold core of the Pacific slab at the MTZ depth, which may be related

A Hybrid Tsunami Risk Model for Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haseemkunju, A. V.; Smith, D. F.; Khater, M.; Khemici, O.; Betov, B.; Scott, J.

2014-12-01

Around the margins of the Pacific Ocean, denser oceanic plates slipping under continental plates cause subduction earthquakes generating large tsunami waves. The subducting Pacific and Philippine Sea plates create damaging interplate earthquakes followed by huge tsunami waves. It was a rupture of the Japan Trench subduction zone (JTSZ) and the resultant M9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake that caused the unprecedented tsunami along the Pacific coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. EQECAT's Japan Earthquake model is a fully probabilistic model which includes a seismo-tectonic model describing the geometries, magnitudes, and frequencies of all potential earthquake events; a ground motion model; and a tsunami model. Within the much larger set of all modeled earthquake events, fault rupture parameters for about 24000 stochastic and 25 historical tsunamigenic earthquake events are defined to simulate tsunami footprints using the numerical tsunami model COMCOT. A hybrid approach using COMCOT simulated tsunami waves is used to generate inundation footprints, including the impact of tides and flood defenses. Modeled tsunami waves of major historical events are validated against observed data. Modeled tsunami flood depths on 30 m grids together with tsunami vulnerability and financial models are then used to estimate insured loss in Japan from the 2011 tsunami. The primary direct report of damage from the 2011 tsunami is in terms of the number of buildings damaged by municipality in the tsunami affected area. Modeled loss in Japan from the 2011 tsunami is proportional to the number of buildings damaged. A 1000-year return period map of tsunami waves shows high hazard along the west coast of southern Honshu, on the Pacific coast of Shikoku, and on the east coast of Kyushu, primarily associated with major earthquake events on the Nankai Trough subduction zone (NTSZ). The highest tsunami hazard of more than 20m is seen on the Sanriku coast in northern Honshu, associated with the JTSZ.

Short- and long-range energy strategies for Japan and the world after the Fukushima nuclear accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muraoka, K.; Wagner, F.; Yamagata, Y.; Donné, A. J. H.

2016-01-01

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in 2011 has caused profound effects on energy policies in Japan and worldwide. This is particularly because it occurred at the time of the growing awareness of global warming forcing measures towards decarbonised energy production, namely the use of fossil fuels has to be drastically reduced from the present level of more than 80% by 2050. A dilemma has now emerged because nuclear power, a CO2-free technology with proven large-scale energy production capability, lost confidence in many societies, especially in Japan and Germany. As a consequence, there is a world-wide effort now to expand renewable energies (REs), specifically photo-voltaic (PV) and wind power. However, the authors conjecture that PV and wind power can provide only up to a 40% share of the electricity production as long as sufficient storage is not available. Beyond this level, the technological (high grid power) and economic problems (large surplus production) grow. This is the result of the analysis of the growing use of REs in the electricity systems for Germany and Japan. The key element to overcome this situation is to develop suitable energy storage technologies. This is particularly necessary when electricity will become the main energy source because also transportation, process heat and heating, will be supplied by it. Facing the difficulty in replacing all fossil fuels in all countries with different technology standards, a rapid development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) might also be necessary. Therefore, for the short-range strategy up to 2050, all meaningful options have to be developed. For the long-range strategy beyond 2050, new energy sources (such as thermonuclear fusion, solar fuels and nuclear power—if inherently safe concepts will gain credibility of societies again), and large-scale energy storage systems based on novel concepts (such as large-capacity batteries and hydrogen) is required. It is acknowledged

Development of an interprofessional competency framework in Japan.

PubMed

Haruta, Junji; Sakai, Ikuko; Otsuka, Mariko; Yoshimoto, Hisashi; Yoshida, Kazue; Goto, Michiko; Shimoi, Toshinori

2016-09-01

This article presents a project that aimed to identify a set of competencies (domains and statements) to prepare Japanese students and healthcare practitioners for collaborative practice. The Japan Association for Interprofessional Education (JAIPE) has started a government-funded project to formulate its interprofessional competency framework, in cooperation with professional organisations (e.g. Japan Society for Medical Education) in healthcare and social sciences. This three-year project is underway as part of the Initiative to Build up the Core Healthcare Personnel programme of Mie University. This project consists of five stages: literature review, data collection, prototype development, consensus formation, and finalisation. Our efforts will culminate in Japan's first interprofessional competency framework, with consensus from relevant academic societies and other stakeholders. We hope that the involvement of stakeholder participation will improve the usability of the final interprofessional competency framework.

Solar System Chaos and its climatic and biogeochemical consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, M.; Tada, R.; Ozaki, K.; Olsen, P. E.

2017-12-01

Insolation changes caused by changes in Earth's orbital parameters are the main driver of climatic variations, whose pace has been used for astronomically-calibrated geologic time scales of high accuracy to understand Earth system dynamics. However, the astrophysical models beyond several tens of million years ago have large uncertainty due to chaotic behavior of the Solar System, and its impact on amplitude modulation of multi-Myr-scale orbital variations and consequent climate changes has become the subject of debate. Here we show the geologic constraints on the past chaotic behavior of orbital cycles from early Mesozoic monsoon-related records; the 30-Myr-long lake level records of the lacustrine sequence in Newark-Hartford basins (North America) and 70-Myr-long biogenic silica (BSi) burial flux record of pelagic deep-sea chert sequence in Inuyama area (Japan). BSi burial flux of chert could be considered as proportional to the dissolved Si (DSi) input from chemical weathering on timescales longer than the residence time of DSi ( 100 kyr), because chert could represent a major sink for oceanic dissolved silica (Ikeda et al., 2017).These geologic records show multi-Myr cycles with similar frequency modulations of eccentricity solution of astronomical model La2010d (Laskar et al., 2011) compared with other astronomical solutions, but not exactly same. Our geologic records provide convincing evidence for the past chaotic dynamical behaviour of the Solar System and new and challenging additional constraints for astrophysical models. In addition, we find that ˜10 Myr cycle detected in monsoon proxies and their amplitude modulation of ˜2 Myr cycle may be related to the amplitude modulation of ˜2 Myr eccentricity cycle through non-linear process(es) of Earth system dynamics, suggesting possible impact of the chaotic behavior of Solar planets on climate change. Further impact of multi-Myr orbital cycles on global biogeochemical cycles will be discussed.

A Solar Dynamic Power Option for Space Solar Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Lee S.

1999-01-01

A study was performed to determine the potential performance and related technology requirements of Solar Dynamic power systems for a Space Solar Power satellite. Space Solar Power is a concept where solar energy is collected in orbit and beamed to Earth receiving stations to supplement terrestrial electric power service. Solar Dynamic systems offer the benefits of high solar-to-electric efficiency, long life with minimal performance degradation, and high power scalability. System analyses indicate that with moderate component development, SD systems can exhibit excellent mass and deployed area characteristics. Using the analyses as a guide, a technology roadmap was -enerated which identifies the component advances necessary to make SD power generation a competitive option for the SSP mission.

Commencement of Geoparks, Geology day and International Earth Science Olympiad, IYPE in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsukuda, Eikichi; Kodama, Kisaburo; Miyazaki, Teruki

2010-05-01

The GSJ is the main supporting organization of IYPE Japan, which is an implementation body of IYPE in Japan, serving as its secretariat. During the IYPE triennial activity, the GSJ has been supporting development of Geparks, establishment of "the Geology Day" and the Earth Science Olympiad activities with some academic societies, and has distributed geological maps with IYPE logo. The GSJ also established an outreach network "Geo-networks Tsukuba" as a local legacy of the IYPE, and has managed it with a local government, research organizations, nonprofit corporations and local media to increase geological and environmental literacy of public, especially among young people. The GSJ-AIST has also contributed internationally to IYPE by joining two international projects, OneGeology and the CCOP Book project. Geoparks in Japan are characterized by following features. The Japanese Islands and the surrounding seas are situated in the area of unique geologic features; the place where several tectonic plates meet and collide. This causes earthquakes and volcanic activities, and makes Japan one of most dynamic areas on the earth. The dynamics of the earth bring about not only geological hazards but also a lot of blessings. In August of 2009, three Geoparks, the Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Geopark, the Itoigawa Geopark and the Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark, were accepted to join the Global Geopark Network from Japan for the first time. Since its launch in 2006, the GSJ has been playing a major role in promoting Geoparks in Japan together with Geological Society of Japan. The GSJ hosts the Japan Geopark Committee (JGC) for quality evaluation, serving as the information center of Geoparks in Japan. The Geology Day of Japan (10th of May) has been set up by the academic societies for geology in Japan and GSJ in 2007. The Geology Day is expected to provide the chances for the public to enjoy field trips and excursions and to understand the importance of geo-diversity. The Day

On the Cause of Solar Differential Rotations in the Solar Interior and Near the Solar Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyu, L.

2012-12-01

A theoretical model is proposed to explain the cause of solar differential rotations observed in the solar interior and near the solar surface. We propose that the latitudinal differential rotation in the solar convection zone is a manifestation of an easterly wind in the mid latitude. The speed of the easterly wind is controlled by the magnitude of the poleward temperature gradient in the lower part of the solar convection zone. The poleward temperature gradient depends on the orientation and strength of the magnetic fields at different latitudes in the solar convection zone. The north-south asymmetry in the wind speed can lead to north-south asymmetry in the evolution of the solar cycle. The easterly wind is known to be unstable for a west-to-east rotating star or planet. Based on the observed differential rotations in the solar convection zone, we can estimate the easterly wind speed at about 60-degree latitude and determine the azimuthal wave number of the unstable wave modes along the zonal flow. The lowest azimuthal wave number is about m=7~8. This result is consistent with the average width of the elephant-trunk coronal hole shown in the solar X-ray images. The nonlinear evolution of the unstable easterly wind can lead to transpolar migration of coronal holes and can change the poloidal magnetic field in a very efficient way. In the study of radial differential rotation near the solar surface, we propose that the radial differential rotation depends on the radial temperature gradient. The radial temperature gradient depends on the magnetic field structure above the solar surface. The non-uniform magnetic field distribution above the solar surface can lead to non-uniform radial convections and formation of magnetic flux rope at different spatial scales. The possible cause of continuous formation and eruption of prominences near an active region will also be discussed.

3D Visualization of Solar Data: Preparing for Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, D.; Nicula, B.; Felix, S.; Verstringe, F.; Bourgoignie, B.; Csillaghy, A.; Berghmans, D.; Jiggens, P.; Ireland, J.; Fleck, B.

2017-12-01

Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe will focus on exploring the linkage between the Sun and the heliosphere. These new missions will collect unique data that will allow us to study, e.g., the coupling between macroscopic physical processes to those on kinetic scales, the generation of solar energetic particles and their propagation into the heliosphere and the origin and acceleration of solar wind plasma. Combined with the several petabytes of data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, the scientific community will soon have access to multi­dimensional remote-sensing and complex in-situ observations from different vantage points, complemented by petabytes of simulation data. Answering overarching science questions like "How do solar transients drive heliospheric variability and space weather?" will only be possible if the community has the necessary tools at hand. In this contribution, we will present recent progress in visualizing the Sun and its magnetic field in 3D using the open-source JHelioviewer framework, which is part of the ESA/NASA Helioviewer Project.

Ion Acceleration in Solar Flares Determined by Solar Neutron Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, K.; Solar Neutron Observation Group

2013-05-01

Large amounts of particles can be accelerated to relativistic energy in association with solar flares and/or accompanying phenomena (e.g., CME-driven shocks), and they sometimes reach very near the Earth and penetrate the Earth's atmosphere. These particles are observed by ground-based detectors (e.g., neutron monitors) as Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs). Some of the GLEs originate from high energy solar neutrons which are produced in association with solar flares. These neutrons are also observed by ground-based neutron monitors and solar neutron telescopes. Recently, some of the solar neutron detectors have also been operating in space. By observing these solar neutrons, we can obtain information about ion acceleration in solar flares. Such neutrons were observed in association with some X-class flares in solar cycle 23, and sometimes they were observed by two different types of detectors. For example, on 2005 September 7, large solar neutron signals were observed by the neutron monitor at Mt. Chacaltaya in Bolivia and Mexico City, and by the solar neutron telescopes at Chacaltaya and Mt. Sierra Negra in Mexico in association with an X17.0 flare. The neutron signal continued for more than 20 minutes with high statistical significance. Intense gamma-ray emission was also registered by INTEGRAL, and by RHESSI during the decay phase. We analyzed these data using the solar-flare magnetic-loop transport and interaction model of Hua et al. (2002), and found that the model could successfully fit the data with intermediate values of loop magnetic convergence and pitch angle scattering parameters. These results indicate that solar neutrons were produced at the same time as the gamma-ray line emission and that ions were continuously accelerated at the emission site. In this paper, we introduce some of the solar neutron observations in solar cycle 23, and discuss the tendencies of the physical parameters of solar neutron GLEs, and the energy spectrum and population of the

Cross-Cultural Learning Approaches in Students from the USA, Japan and Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Michael B.; Aoshima, Megumi; Bolen, Larry M.; Chia, Rosina; Kohyama, Takaya

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between approaches to learning and locus of control of students from the USA, Japan, and Taiwan. The results show that students from the USA utilized more rote memory learning compared to students from Japan and Taiwan, while students from Japan were more likely to be "Achieving"…

[The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in Japan].

PubMed

Ihara, Toshiaki

2011-09-01

Two vaccination systems have been employed in Japan, the routine vaccination and the voluntary vaccination. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in Japan is no-fault system. Claims after the routine vaccination are demanded to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare through local governments, and compensation is more expenses. Meanwhile, claims after the voluntary vaccination are demanded to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device Agency directly, and compensation is less compared with the routine vaccination.

The Independent Living Movement in Asia: Solidarity from Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayashi, Reiko; Okuhira, Masako

2008-01-01

Independent living movements of disabled people are emerging in Asian countries, supported by independent living centres (ILCs) in Japan. A study was conducted in Japan to explore the impact of the training program offered by Japanese ILCs to disabled people from other Asian countries. A sample of 35 people was selected by a snowballing method.…

Solar Cookers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Richard C.

1981-01-01

Describes the use of solar cookers in the science classroom. Includes instructions for construction of a solar cooker, an explanation of how solar cookers work, and a number of suggested activities. (DS)

Legalized abortion in Japan.

PubMed

Hart, T M

1967-10-01

The enactment of the Eugenic Protection Act in Japan was followed by many changes. The population explosion was stemmed, the birth rate was halved, and while the marriage rate remained steady the divorce rate declined. The annual total of abortions increased until 1955 and then slowly declined. The highest incidence of abortions in families is in the 30 to 34 age group when there are four children in the family. As elsewhere abortion in advanced stages of pregnancy is associated with high morbidity and mortality. There is little consensus as to the number of criminal abortions. Reasons for criminal abortions can be found in the legal restrictions concerning abortion: Licensing of the abortionist, certification of hospitals, taxation of operations and the requirement that abortion be reported. Other factors are price competition and the patient's desire for secrecy. Contraception is relatively ineffective as a birth control method in Japan. Oral contraceptives are not yet government approved. In 1958 alone 1.1 per cent of married women were sterilized and the incidence of sterilization was increasing.

High-efficiency silicon heterojunction solar cells: Status and perspectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Wolf, S.

requirements. The validity of this approach was convincingly demonstrated by Panasonic, Japan in 2014, reporting on an interdigitated back-contacted HJT cell with an efficiency of 25.6%, setting the new single-junction c-Si record. Finally, given the virtually perfect surface passivation and excellent red response of HJT solar cells, we anticipate these devices will also become the preferred bottom cell in ultra-high efficiency c-Si-based tandem devices, exploiting better the solar spectrum. Such tandem cells have the potential to overcome the fundamental single-junction limit of silicon solar cells (29.4%). Combining HJT cells with perovskite solar cells as top cell appears to be particularly appealing.« less

High-efficiency silicon heterojunction solar cells: Status and perspectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Wolf, S.; Geissbuehler, J.; Loper, P.

electrical transport requirements. The validity of this approach was convincingly demonstrated by Panasonic, Japan in 2014, reporting on an interdigitated back-contacted HJT cell with an efficiency of 25.6%, setting the new single-junction c-Si record. Finally, given the virtually perfect surface passivation and excellent red response of HJT solar cells, we anticipate these devices will also become the preferred bottom cell in ultra-high efficiency c-Si-based tandem devices, exploiting better the solar spectrum. Such tandem cells have the potential to overcome the fundamental single-junction limit of silicon solar cells (29.4%). Combining HJT cells with perovskite solar cells as top cell appears to be particularly appealing.« less

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - Planta Solar 20 | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

(CSP) project, with data organized by background, participants, and power plant configuration. Abengoa Solar's Planta Solar 20 (PS20) is a 20-megawatt power tower plant being constructed next to the PS10 tower percent. The 160-meter tower was designed to reduce the visual impact of its height. The plant has the

Outreach to Scientists and to the Public about the Scientific Value of Solar Eclipses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasachoff, J.

2017-12-01

The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017, provided an unprecedented opportunity for outreach among American audiences on a giant scale in the age of social media. Professonal scientists and other educators, however, were not exempt from ignorance of the remaining scientific value of observing solar eclipses, often mistakenly thinking that space satellites or mountaintop observatories could make artificial eclipses as good as natural ones, which they can't. Further, as Chair of the Working Group on Eclipses of the International Astronomical Union and as a frequent observer of solar eclipses in other countries, I felt an obligation to provide at-least-equal hospitality in our country. Here I discuss our welcome to and interaction with eclipse scientists from Greece, Slovakia, Australia, Bulgaria, Iran, China, and Japan and their participation in the eclipse observations. I describe my own outreach about the still-vital solar-eclipse observations through my August 2017 articles in Nature Astronomy and Scientific American as well as through book reviews in Nature and Phi Beta Kappa's Key Reporter and co-authorship of a Resource Letter on Observing Solar Eclipses in the July issue og the American Journal of Physics. I describe my eclipse-day Academic Minute on National Public Radio via WAMC and on http://365daysofastronomy.org, a website started during the International Year of Astronomy. I discuss my blog post on lecturing to pre-school through elementary-school students for the National Geographic Society's Education Blog. I show my Op-Ed pre-eclipse in the Washington Post. I discuss our eclipse-night broadcast of an eclipse program on PBS's NOVA, and its preparation over many months, back as far and farther than the February 26, 2017, annular solar eclipse observed from Argentinian Patagonia, with images from prior eclipses including 2013 in Gabon and 2015 in Svalbard. My work at the 2017 total solar eclipse was supported in large part with grants from the

Solar Cycle 24 and the Solar Dynamo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pesnell, W. D.; Schatten, K.

2007-01-01

We will discuss the polar field precursor method for solar activity prediction, which predicts cycle 24 will be significantly lower than recent activity cycles, and some new ideas rejuvenating Babcock's shallow surface dynamo. The polar field precursor method is based on Babcock and Leighton's dynamo models wherein the polar field at solar minimum plays a major role in generating the next cycle's toroidal field and sunspots. Thus, by examining the polar fields of the Sun near solar minimum, a forecast for the next cycle's activity is obtained. With the current low value for the Sun's polar fields, this method predicts solar cycle 24 will be one of the lowest in recent times, with smoothed F10.7 radio flux values peaking near 135 plus or minus 35 (2 sigma), in the 2012-2013 timeframe (equivalent to smoothed Rz near 80 plus or minus 35 [2 sigma]). One may have to consider solar activity as far back as the early 20th century to find a cycle of comparable magnitude. We discuss unusual behavior in the Sun's polar fields that support this prediction. Normally, the solar precursor method is consistent with the geomagnetic precursor method, wherein geomagnetic variations are thought to be a good measure of the Sun's polar field strength. Because of the unusual polar field, the Earth does not appear to be currently bathed in the Sun's extended polar field (the interplanetary field), hence negating the primal cause behind the geomagnetic precursor technique. We also discuss how percolation may support Babcock's original shallow solar dynamo. In this process ephemeral regions from the solar magnetic carpet, guided by shallow surface fields, may collect to form pores and sunspots.

The imminent healthcare and emergency care crisis in Japan.

PubMed

Suzuki, Tetsuji; Nishida, Masamichi; Suzuki, Yuriko; Kobayashi, Kunio

2008-05-01

Japan has a universal healthcare system, and this paper describes the reality of the healthcare services provided, as well as current issues with the system. Academic, government, and press reports on Japanese healthcare systems and healthcare guidelines were reviewed. The universal healthcare system of Japan is considered internationally to be both low-cost and effective because the Japanese population enjoys good health status with a long life expectancy, while healthcare spending in Japan is below the average given by the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD). However, in many regions of Japan the existing healthcare resources are seriously inadequate, especially with regard to the number of physicians and other health professionals. Because healthcare is traditionally viewed as "sacred" work in Japan, healthcare professionals are expected to make large personal sacrifices. Also, public attitudes toward medical malpractice have changed in recent decades, and medical professionals are facing legal issues without experienced support of the government or legal professionals. Administrative response to the lack of resources and collaboration among communities are beginning, and more efficient control and management of the healthcare system is under consideration. The Japanese healthcare system needs to adopt an efficient medical control organization to ease the strain on existing healthcare professionals and to increase the number of physicians and other healthcare resources. Rather than continuing to depend on healthcare professionals being able and willing to make personal sacrifices, the government, the public and medical societies must cooperate and support changes in the healthcare system.

The origins of scientific psychology in Japan.

PubMed

Takasuna, Miki

2006-01-01

The origins of scientific psychology in Japan arrived primarily through six routes. First, psychology was imported through translations by Amane Nishi, which resulted in the coining of words such as "psychology," "subject," and "object." Second, psychology arrived in the form of education that was directed by American Christian missionaries. The third route brought psychology through lectures presented at universities (e.g., Masakazu Toyama began lecturing at the University of Tokyo in 1877). The fourth route relates to teacher education: Shuji Izawa and Hideo Takamine introduced psychology as part of the first curriculum at Tokyo Higher Normal School in 1879. The fifth route was created by Japanese philosophers who studied abroad, such as Tetsujiro Inouye. Finally, the sixth and most important avenue involved the introduction of experimental psychology, as well as a formal educational curriculum for psychologists (e.g., Yujiro Motora was the first Japanese to introduce experimental psychology to Japan, where he trained many students). Consequently, the establishment of scientific psychology in Japan was primarily owed to the Japanese scholars who studied abroad in the U.S. and Germany.

[Neurology in Japan before World War II].

PubMed

Takahashi, Akira

2013-01-01

Modern Western medicine was introduced into Japan by a Dutch doctor Pompe van Meerdervoort in 1855. A German physician EOE von Balz devoted himself to educating medicine at Tokyo Medical School, the predecessor of the present University of Tokyo for 25 years. Hiroshi Kawahara and Kinnosuke Miura, pioneers of Japan Neurology, received their education by him. Kawahara first described X-linked bulvo-spinal muscular atrophy, and published the first Japanese textbook of clinical neurology in 1897. In 1902, Miura and others founded the Japanese Society of Neuro-Psychiatry, the forerunner of the present " Japanese Society of Neurology ". Both Seizo Katsunuma, Professor of Nagoya University, and Junnjiro Kato, Professor of Tohoku University, succeeded Miura's neurology. Miura investigated into the cause of beriberi, but ended in failure. Hasegawa's proposal at the Diet in 1894 that the Japan Government should found an independent department of neurology in the University of Tokyo was unfortunately rejected. There was no foundation of independent institute, department and clinic of neurology before World War II. Consequently Japanese neurology was on the ebb at that time.

Citrus breeding, genetics and genomics in Japan

PubMed Central

Omura, Mitsuo; Shimada, Takehiko

2016-01-01

Citrus is one of the most cultivated fruits in the world, and satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) is a major cultivated citrus in Japan. Many excellent cultivars derived from satsuma mandarin have been released through the improvement of mandarins using a conventional breeding method. The citrus breeding program is a lengthy process owing to the long juvenility, and it is predicted that marker-assisted selection (MAS) will overcome the obstacle and improve the efficiency of conventional breeding methods. To promote citrus molecular breeding in Japan, a genetic mapping was initiated in 1987, and the experimental tools and resources necessary for citrus functional genomics have been developed in relation to the physiological analysis of satsuma mandarin. In this paper, we review the progress of citrus breeding and genome researches in Japan and report the studies on genetic mapping, expression sequence tag cataloguing, and molecular characterization of breeding characteristics, mainly in terms of the metabolism of bio-functional substances as well as factors relating to, for example, fruit quality, disease resistance, polyembryony, and flowering. PMID:27069387

Practical aspects of designing and conducting pharmacoeconomic studies in Japan.

PubMed

Doherty, Jim; Sato, Keiko

2003-01-01

The advent of simultaneous global clinical trials and drug registration strategies has increased the demand for global pharmacoeconomic strategies. Outcomes researchers in pharmaceutical companies are faced with the challenge of assessing at a strategic level what pharmacoeconomic data are most useful in Japan and when, and then deciding at a tactical level what type of study designs are feasible. This paper is written mainly for the benefit of researchers working outside of Japan in the pharmaceutical/medical device industry or academia who are interested in conducting research in Japan. We reviewed the existing pharmacoeconomic literature in Japan, and found that the number of studies per year has been steadily increasing. The majority of studies have been cost-effectiveness and cost-consequence analyses. Typical data sources available in Japan are somewhat limited compared with other Western countries. However, charge data can be easily accessed through the national uniform reimbursement fee system and these data are particularly relevant for pharmaceutical pricing negotiations with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). The present use of pharmacoeconomic data by pharmaceutical companies is mainly for pricing negotiations but recent reforms make certain types of data useful for marketing strategies too. The demand for pharmacoeconomic data may increase because of upcoming MHLW pharmaceutical pricing and/or recent health insurance system reforms. Economic evaluation of medical technologies in Japan, though lagging behind North America, Australia and Europe, has the potential to rapidly gather momentum as increasing cost-escalation worries contribute to a growing interest in pharmacoeconomic data.

History of Japan-U.S./High Pressure Mineral Physics Seminars: 1976 to 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebermann, Robert Cooper

2014-03-01

Under the auspices of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science Program between the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the first U.S.-Japan joint seminar on High Pressure Research Applications in Geophysics was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, 5-8 July 1976 and was attended by 47 scientists. Originated as bilateral U.S.-Japan seminars on high-pressure research applications in geophysics by Murli Manghnani and Syun-iti Akimoto, this series continued at 5-year intervals under those auspices from 1976 to 1996 [1981 in Hakone, Japan 1986 in Turtle Bay, Hawaii, 1991 in Ise, Japan, and 1996 in Maui, Hawaii], with venues alternating between Hawaii and Japan. In the 21st century, as a result of growing international interest in high-pressure mineral physics, the seminar series was re-envisioned with a broader focus “more international” focus than the original U.S.-Japan bilateral series. The first of the new meetings entitled “High Pressure Mineral Physics Seminars” [HPMP-6] took place in Verbania, Italy on August 26-31, 2002. More than 84 scientists from Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe attended. HPMPS-7 took place in Matsushima, Japan on May 8-12, 2007 and was attended by 134 scientists from throughout the world. In this paper, we review this history culminating with the HPMPS-8 at Lake Tahoe, California in July 2012, which was held jointly with the Annual Meeting of COMPRES: Consortium for Materials Properties Research in Earth Sciences.

A nonlinear background removal method for seismo-ionospheric anomaly analysis under a complex solar activity scenario: A case study of the M9.0 Tohoku earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Liming; Wu, Lixin; Pulinets, Sergey; Liu, Shanjun; Yang, Fan

2012-07-01

A precise determination of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) anomaly variations that are likely associated with large earthquakes as observed by global positioning system (GPS) requires the elimination of the ionospheric effect from irregular solar electromagnetic radiation. In particular, revealing the seismo-ionospheric anomalies when earthquakes occurred during periods of high solar activity is of utmost importance. To overcome this constraint, a multiresolution time series processing technique based on wavelet transform applicable to global ionosphere map (GIM) TEC data was used to remove the nonlinear effect from solar radiation for the earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan, on 11 March, 2011. As a result, it was found that the extracted TEC have a good correlation with the measured solar extreme ultraviolet flux in 26-34 nm (EUV26-34) and the 10.7 cm solar radio flux (F10.7). After removing the influence of solar radiation origin in GIM TEC, the analysis results show that the TEC around the forthcoming epicenter and its conjugate were significantly enhanced in the afternoon period of 8 March 2011, 3 days before the earthquake. The spatial distributions of the TEC anomalous and extreme enhancements indicate that the earthquake preparation process had brought with a TEC anomaly area of size approximately 1650 and 5700 km in the latitudinal and longitudinal directions, respectively.

Great East Japan Earthquake Tsunami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iijima, Y.; Minoura, K.; Hirano, S.; Yamada, T.

2011-12-01

The 11 March 2011, Mw 9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake, already among the most destructive earthquakes in modern history, emanated from a fault rupture that extended an estimated 500 km along the Pacific coast of Honshu. This earthquake is the fourth among five of the strongest temblors since AD 1900 and the largest in Japan since modern instrumental recordings began 130 years ago. The earthquake triggered a huge tsunami, which invaded the seaside areas of the Pacific coast of East Japan, causing devastating damages on the coast. Artificial structures were destroyed and planted forests were thoroughly eroded. Inrush of turbulent flows washed backshore areas and dunes. Coastal materials including beach sand were transported onto inland areas by going-up currents. Just after the occurrence of the tsunami, we started field investigation of measuring thickness and distribution of sediment layers by the tsunami and the inundation depth of water in Sendai plain. Ripple marks showing direction of sediment transport were the important object of observation. We used a soil auger for collecting sediments in the field, and sediment samples were submitted for analyzing grain size and interstitial water chemistry. Satellite images and aerial photographs are very useful for estimating the hydrogeological effects of tsunami inundation. We checked the correspondence of micro-topography, vegetation and sediment covering between before and after the tsunami. The most conspicuous phenomenon is the damage of pine forests planted in the purpose of preventing sand shifting. About ninety-five percent of vegetation coverage was lost during the period of rapid currents changed from first wave. The landward slopes of seawalls were mostly damaged and destroyed. Some aerial photographs leave detailed records of wave destruction just behind seawalls, which shows the occurrence of supercritical flows. The large-scale erosion of backshore behind seawalls is interpreted to have been caused by

78 FR 31577 - Diffusion-Annealed, Nickel-Plated Flat-Rolled Steel Products From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

..., Nickel-Plated Flat-Rolled Steel Products From Japan Determination On the basis of the record \\1... imports from Japan of diffusion-annealed, nickel-plated flat-rolled steel products, provided for primarily... flat-rolled steel products from Japan. Accordingly, effective March 27, 2013, the Commission instituted...

Current status and perspectives of cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan.

PubMed

Yamasaki, Hiroshi

2013-02-01

This mini-review describes recent epidemiological trends in cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan. Some of the topics discussed herein were presented at the first symposium on "Current perspectives of Taenia asiatica researches", that was held in Osong in Chungbuk Province, South Korea, in October 2011 and organized by Prof. K. S. Eom, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine. To better understand the trends in the occurrence of cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan, clinical cases reported in 2005 have been updated. In addition, the current status of Taenia asiatica infections successively occurring in Japan since 2010 is also discussed.

Current Status and Perspectives of Cysticercosis and Taeniasis in Japan

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

This mini-review describes recent epidemiological trends in cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan. Some of the topics discussed herein were presented at the first symposium on "Current perspectives of Taenia asiatica researches", that was held in Osong in Chungbuk Province, South Korea, in October 2011 and organized by Prof. K. S. Eom, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine. To better understand the trends in the occurrence of cysticercosis and taeniasis in Japan, clinical cases reported in 2005 have been updated. In addition, the current status of Taenia asiatica infections successively occurring in Japan since 2010 is also discussed. PMID:23467264

[Films: China and Japan].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gumport, Roberta H.

The history of filmmaking in China and Japan and film usage in teaching are considered in this document. Pointing out how films describe historical context and culture, the document also describes various techniques of film making. Films in China were heavily influenced by western models and have tended to be tools of the power structure, as…

Precursory Slope Deformation around Landslide Area Detected by Insar Throughout Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakano, T.; Wada, K.; Yamanaka, M.; Kamiya, I.; Nakajima, H.

2016-06-01

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique is able to detect a slope deformation around landslide (e.g., Singhroy et al., 2004; Une et al., 2008; Riedel and Walther, 2008; Sato et al., 2014). Geospatial Information Authority (GSI) of Japan has been performing the InSAR analysis regularly by using ALOS/PALSAR data and ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 data throughout Japan. There are a lot of small phase change sites except for crustal deformation with earthquake or volcano activity in the InSAR imagery. Most of the phase change sites are located in landslide area. We conducted field survey at the 10 sites of those phase change sites. As a result, we identified deformation of artificial structures or linear depressions caused by mass movement at the 9 sites. This result indicates that InSAR technique can detect on the continual deformation of landslide block for several years. GSI of Japan will continue to perform the InSAR analysis throughout Japan. Therefore, we will be able to observe and monitor precursory slope deformation around landslide areas throughout Japan.

Occurrence of human respiratory syncytial virus in summer in Japan.

PubMed

Shobugawa, Y; Takeuchi, T; Hibino, A; Hassan, M R; Yagami, R; Kondo, H; Odagiri, T; Saito, R

2017-01-01

In temperate zones, human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) outbreaks typically occur in cold weather, i.e. in late autumn and winter. However, recent outbreaks in Japan have tended to start during summer and autumn. This study examined associations of meteorological conditions with the numbers of HRSV cases reported in summer in Japan. Using data from the HRSV national surveillance system and national meteorological data for summer during the period 2007-2014, we utilized negative binomial logistic regression analysis to identify associations between meteorological conditions and reported cases of HRSV. HRSV cases increased when summer temperatures rose and when relative humidity increased. Consideration of the interaction term temperature × relative humidity enabled us to show synergistic effects of high temperature with HRSV occurrence. In particular, HRSV cases synergistically increased when relative humidity increased while the temperature was ⩾28·2 °C. Seasonal-trend decomposition analysis using the HRSV national surveillance data divided by 11 climate divisions showed that summer HRSV cases occurred in South Japan (Okinawa Island), Kyushu, and Nankai climate divisions, which are located in southwest Japan. Higher temperature and higher relative humidity were necessary conditions for HRSV occurrence in summer in Japan. Paediatricians in temperate zones should be mindful of possible HRSV cases in summer, when suitable conditions are present.

Solar Spots - Activities to Introduce Solar Energy into the K-8 Curricula.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longe, Karen M.; McClelland, Michael J.

Following an introduction to solar technology which reviews solar heating and cooling, passive solar systems (direct gain systems, thermal storage walls, sun spaces, roof ponds, and convection loops), active solar systems, solar electricity (photovoltaic and solar thermal conversion systems), wind energy, and biomass, activities to introduce solar…

A review of liquid rocket propulsion programs in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)